


Big Wide World

by kittenofdoomage



Category: Supernatural
Genre: A/B/O, AU, Agoraphobia, Alpha!Dean, Alpha!Sam, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Angst, Assault, Brain Damage, Character Death, Danger, Death of family, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Grief, Guns, Healing, Injury, Knotting, Original Characters - Freeform, Psychological Trauma, SPN A/B/O Bingo, Sex, Sexual Assault, Slow Burn, Smut, Trauma, True Mates, Violence, car crash, implied rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-08 12:57:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12864972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittenofdoomage/pseuds/kittenofdoomage
Summary: Dean and Sam move to a new town - your town, where you happen to be an Omega who’s had it rough, even with the welcoming and loving pack around you. So what does it mean for you, when the handsome new Alpha moves across the street? Written for @spnabobingo





	1. Chapter 1

“Y/N?”

You looked up at the call of your name, distracted from your book. Closing it slowly, but wedging your finger in between the pages, you mustered a smile as your brother appeared in the doorway, giving you a friendly smile.

“Hey,” he greeted, waving a little. “I just wanted to check you were okay.” He didn’t come into your room, loitering on the edge of the doorway, his worried eyes focusing on the neat and tidy environment you always kept. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Lucas,” you replied, giving him a soft smile. “Just reading. How was work?”

Lucas shifted, leaning against the doorframe. “The usual. Mrs Jenkins came in for another shovel.”

“Another one?”

“That’s six this month. I don’t know what she’s digging up but…” He trailed off, shoving his hands under his armpits as he obviously chewed on the question he wanted to ask. Waiting patiently, you tapped your bare foot against the carpet. “It’s full moon tonight.”

You nodded, looking down at your book. “I’m aware.”

“Are you… are you coming with me?”

A sigh passed your lips, and you shook your head, long hair falling over your shoulders. “No. Not this month.”

His argument was the same one as always. “Y/N, it’s been a year, you can’t -”

“Doctor Lawrence told me not to push myself. I’m not ready. I can’t…” Your throat went dry as you avoided your brother’s gaze. “I can’t go out there.” And that was that. Lucas wouldn’t say any more on the subject, at least, not today. “Have fun though.”

He nodded, but you could see the apprehension in his eyes. Since the incident, you’d refused to attend any pack meetings, and the close knit community had become a far off memory. Lucas attended the full moon meet alone, and brought back any news you needed to hear. For you, the solitude and safety of your home was the only thing you’d known for over twelve months.

“I will,” Lucas murmured, turning away from your room, but leaving the door open. You sighed, letting your body fall backwards onto the bed, and you curled up amongst the covers, opening your book to the page you’d been on.

*****

Midnight passed, and you were still awake, turning your attention from your novel to the television, watching through the Marvel shows on Netflix, but not really paying much mind to them when your eyes had grown heavy and you’d started to drift. When Lucas passed by your bedroom door, he paused, smiling at the sight of you draped across the numerous pillows you liked to sleep on.

“How was the meeting?” you asked, drowsily, and he shrugged. You raised one hand, beckoning him into your room, and he trudged across the thick carpet, coming to a stop by your bed. “Anything interesting?”

Lucas tilted his head, arching an eyebrow. “You could say that.”

You frowned, sitting up a little. “Oh?”

“Newcomers,” your brother explained. “Two Alphas. Without a pack.” He seemed a little concerned about that, and your frown only deepened; Lucas was a Beta, and the only close family member you had left. “They’re, er, they’re big guys.”

“Well, that doesn’t make them bad people,” you pointed out. “Did you speak to them?”

Lucas shook his head. “No. Not my place. I’m not… I’m not like Dad was. Geoff dealt with everything, like he does.” His nose wrinkled up in annoyance, and you couldn’t help but smile. Geoff was your uncle, the Alpha of the pack, and for the most part he did a good job. Just as good as your father had done. “They’re reopening the kindergarten this week too, after the fire.”

“They still don’t know who did it though.”

“Geoff still thinks it was those out-of-towners we had causing problems…” His words fell onto a deafening silence - the strangers had done a lot more than burn part of an elementary school down. You looked down at your hands, seeing the silvery scars that covered your skin. “Look, you don’t need to worry about any of this,” Lucas insisted quietly, reaching out to take your hand. “You just… focus on you. On getting better.”

You gave him a weak smile, before easing your hand from his grip. “I’m pretty tired. I’m going to get some sleep.”

Lucas nodded, moving away from you towards the door. “I’m at work early tomorrow. Inventory. I’ll have my cell though.” Of course he would; he would most likely call you three times like he always did too. It was thoughtful of him, but in some ways, he overcompensated for being the little brother.

In his mind, it was his job to protect you, his traumatized Omega sister.

“Goodnight, Lucas,” you whispered, turning your back on him, pulling the covers over your body. He didn’t reply, and you heard slow footsteps down the corridor. Within a few minutes, your eyes drifted shut and you fell into slumber.

*****

It wasn’t unusual for you to wake up to an empty house, but waking up to the doorbell ringing was new. Stretching and yawning, you threw on your robe and padded down the stairs, still not quite awake when a delicious smell hit your nose, making you inhale deeply.

“Did Lucas make breakfast?” you wondered aloud, but the kitchen was devoid of dishes, unless he’d managed to clean up after himself again, which would be a miracle. Shrugging, you continued to the front door, opening it and frowning at the two large men on your doorstep. “Can I help you?”

The taller of the two smiled, and you stepped back a little, holding your arm around yourself. “Hi. I’m Sam. Winchester. This is Dean,” he gestured to the man stood next to him. “We’re, er, we’re new in town.” A thread of fear wound itself around your heart, making it feel like it was pounding out of your chest, and you nodded mutely. Sam continued to smile, not noticing your discomfort. “We were looking for Lucas. Someone said he was a handy guy, and the house we’ve bought needs some work -”

“He’s not here,” you blurted out, looking between the both of them, too scared to notice the strange expression on the smaller man’s face. “He’s at work. Sullivan’s Hardware. On Fourth and Main.” You slammed the door, backing away, fright making your bottom lip wobble as you tried to contain your emotions. There was a shuffling and muffled voices on the doorstep, before heavy boots thunked down the steps away from your porch.

Rushing back to your bedroom, you locked the door and hid yourself under the covers, trying not to cry. It wasn’t like you didn’t have visitors all the time, but these men were strange, and Alpha and fucking huge. Memories of the previous eighteen months came rushing back, and you couldn’t restrain the tears.

Lucas’ arrival home at lunchtime was unexpected, and he knocked gently on your locked door, calling your name. You hadn’t moved from the bed, too terrified to do anything, and when he started to pick the lock, you sighed, sitting upright with the covers around you like a cocooned animal. His face appeared as the door swung open, sympathy written all over it.

“You okay?” You nodded meekly, although it was a lie. “They didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I know. They don’t know,” you whispered, acknowledging the truth. Lucas moved a little closer, sitting on the edge of your bed. “I just… I panicked.”

“They did apologize, when they came to the store. Sam’s a nice guy. Dean’s a little rougher round the edges I think, but they seem okay, for big Alphas,” he added, smirking. “I’m gonna be doing so work at their place to fix it up - they bought the old Hamill place across the street.”

You nodded, picking at the buttons of your comforter, not meeting his eyes. “Did you cook this morning?” Lucas frowned, shaking his head. “Oh. I smelled something really good when I woke up, I thought you’d cooked breakfast and done the dishes.”

“I’m a good brother, but I’m not that good,” he quipped. “Maybe Mrs. Monroe was cooking again? She’s always wafting nice smells our way.”

“She stopped doing that when her cupcakes couldn’t tempt me out the front door,” you replied, rolling your eyes. “Besides, she hasn’t baked a whole lot since Mr. Monroe had his stroke.” Raising your shoulders slightly, you let them fall into a shrug, sighing heavily. “I was probably imagining it.”

Your brother watched you for a few moments, before standing up again. “I just wanted to check in on you,” he murmured, giving you a little half smile. “I gotta get back to work.”

You stretched a little, yawning. “Okay.”

“You gonna get up?” Lucas asked, moving to the door. Your answering nod produced a wider smile and he tipped his head, leaving you to it. For a few seconds, you remained in your bed, listening to the front door slam as he made his exit. Padding across the bedroom floor, you grabbed a towel and headed to the shower, taking your time washing up, before dressing in a simple summer dress.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet, and when Lucas walked in the door at a little past six, he wasn’t alone. Two sets of heavy boots accompanied his lighter tread, and you frowned up at the doorway from where you sat in the kitchen, trying to decide what to do for supper.

“Y/N?” Lucas’ voice was cautious, and your frown deepened when he appeared in your sights, a worried expression on his face. “Hey, erm, I’ve got the Winchesters with me.” The warning was clear, and you swallowed past the rapidly expanding lump in your throat. “Did you wanna go upstairs or..?”

“No, it’s okay,” you replied, giving him a shaky smile. “I was just trying to decide what to do for dinner, I wasn’t… erm… are they staying?”

“We can order pizza,” Lucas offered, just as the two brothers appeared behind him. “I mean, save you cooking for everyone.”

“Pizza sounds great,” Sam interrupted, smiling brightly, and you felt your cheeks flush with warm. The smaller brother (although that wasn’t saying much) was watching you again, that strange look in his eyes, and you avoided his gaze, turning away to the drawer where you kept the take out menus.

Lucas took a seat at the kitchen table, gesturing for Sam and Dean to do the same. Sam obliged, sitting next to your brother, while Dean remained by the doorway, muttering something about being more comfortable standing. You found the menu you wanted, dropping it onto the table in front of your brother. “Here. Decide what you want and I’ll call in.”

“Let me get this,” Sam said, leaning back in his chair. “Consider it a thank you for agreeing to help with the house.”

“I still can’t believe you bought that old place. The Hamill’s lived there since it was built. When Freda passed away, we thought her kids were gonna take it but they just… left town.” Lucas shook his head, not even touching the pizza menu. “Lot of people seem to do that.”

You plucked three beers from the fridge, putting one in front of Lucas and one in front of Sam, before walking around to offer one to Dean, who took it, those ridiculously green eyes meeting yours, and you shuddered when his fingertips brushed your palm. Hurrying away, you nudged Lucas, who glared at you. “What do you want from the pizza place?” you demanded.

“The usual,” he replied, shaking his head.

“Dean and I will have a pepperoni each. Extra cheese.” Sam’s smile was disarming, and you found yourself warming to the Alpha. He wasn’t like other Alphas you’d met - he seemed more gentle and relaxed, not pouring with pheromones that had you on edge.

His brother, on the other hand…

“Got it,” you said, smiling, before snatching the phone from its cradle and leaving the room, all too aware of Dean’s eyes following you. Placing the order for the pizza was quick and painless, and you returned to the kitchen to find Dean had taken a seat, and Lucas was running over supplies and plans for the house they’d bought.

“Do a lot of people leave town then?” Sam was asking, and Lucas sighed.

“More of the younger ones. Pack life isn’t what it used to be. People are more solitary.” Lucas tipped his beer in your direction. “I used to think we’d leave. But things change.”

You felt a pang of guilt in your belly; Lucas had planned to leave. He was going to go to college, study to be an architect. Now, because of you, he was stuck here, working in a hardware store for minimum wage. Even if Mr. Sullivan had told him the shop would be his when he finally retired, it wasn’t the dream your brother had always thought about. “You’re still pretty young,” Sam replied, frowning. “Fresh starts are never out of reach.”

“Is that why you’re here?” you asked, unable to stop the question, and feeling a little embarrassed when both Winchesters looked at you. “Sorry, I just… we don’t get a lot of new people. Especially not Alphas.”

Sam’s smile returned. “You could say we’re here for a fresh start. We’ve spent a lot of time on the road, and we’re not getting any younger. Time to settle down, and we’ve got friends in town here, so it seemed logical…” He trailed off, shrugging.

“Friends?” Lucas enquired, and Dean nodded, swigging at his beer.

“A friend from college,” the elder Winchester answered. “Castiel Novak.”

“I know Castiel,” your brother acknowledged, nodding. “I went to school with his sister, Hannah. I think Y/N was in his class in high school.” He glanced to you for affirmation and you smiled, moving over to the sink to keep yourself busy.

The men’s talk turned back to the house, and by the time the pizza arrived, they’d come up with a solid plan for the next day. You retired to the lounge, propping your feet up on the couch to watch whatever was on television, able to hear the slight muttering of the conversation continuing in the kitchen.

You wondered if Lucas had told them why you were so twitchy, why you’d freaked out that morning. If he’d told them your entire sob story. Poor little Y/N, too broken to leave the house, too broken to be anyone’s Omega, reduced to being babysat by her little brother. The scarred Omega that everyone whispered about…

“Y/N?” Sam’s voice made you look up, and you gave him a small smile. “Just wanted to say thank you for having us over to dinner.”

“Oh,” you paused, “you paid for it.”

He grinned. “That being said, you welcomed us into your home. Thank you.”

Nodding your head, you gave no further response, and Sam walked away. A few moments later, the Winchesters’ footsteps echoed through the house, and you heard Lucas bidding them a goodnight before closing the front door. He came into the living room, lifting up your feet and sitting down, before placing them in his lap. “Everything okay?” he asked. It was code; his actual question was “have I upset you by bringing two strange Alphas home?”.

“Fine,” you replied, smiling at him. “They were nice. Dean seemed a little off…”

“He’s not very talkative is he? Not when you’re in the room,” Lucas pointed out, rubbing your ankles absent-mindedly. It was something your dad had done when you were small, for both of you, when watching a movie or show as a family. One of you would be in the armchair with your mother, and the other would be stretched across the sofa with their feet on Dad’s lap. Even now, the small action brought you comfort, and the guilt of keeping Lucas from his life got worse. “Maybe he hasn’t spent much time around Omegas.”

With a shrug, you turned your attention back to the television. “Maybe not.” There was a brief few seconds of silence before the burning question in your head had to make itself known. “Did they ask about me? Like, why I’m so weird.”

Lucas laughed, shaking his head. “You’re not weird, Y/N.”

“I haven’t left the house in a year, Lucas. That’s pretty weird.”

“I didn’t mention it. They didn’t ask anything about you, Y/N. Well, they asked if you were my younger sister, but I said that I’m the younger one, and that was about it.”

“Oh.” You weren’t sure whether to be happy about that or dismayed that they hadn’t shown any interest. Was that selfish? It was definitely weird, but then, you’d admitted to that freely. “I guess… I guess that’s good. They didn’t even want to know why I freaked out this morning?”

Your brother shrugged. “They assumed it was them, that they’d frightened you. Obviously they knew you were Omega.” A frown dipped your brow, and Lucas spotted it, his expression mirroring yours. “What?”

“So they think I’m a stupid, weak little frightened Omega?”

“I didn’t say that -”

“No, but they might be thinking it!” you cried, snatching your feet back from his lap. “Is that what everyone thinks of me?” Lucas was shaking his head now, shock on his face. “God, I’m a freak!”

“Y/N -”

“Don’t!” you snapped, climbing off of the couch and leaving the room, knocking over your half eaten pizza. He called your name again, but you ignored him, knowing that you’d overreacted and already feeling excessively more stupid than you had done before. Slamming your bedroom door behind you, you threw yourself on the bed.

Downstairs, Lucas sat on the couch, staring at the hallway for a moment, before pulling his cell out from his pocket. He sent a quick text, and returned his gaze to the direction you’d gone in.

In the morning, you’d wake up and apologize, admit you were being stupid. You’d agree to call Dr. Lawrence, and discuss the overreaction again. Or, you would wake up in the morning and not remember a thing.

Lucas prayed in his heart that it would be the former, but his mind knew, it would be the latter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The extent of your injuries becomes apparent to the Winchesters, although you can’t deny your attraction to Dean.

“Let me out, let me out, let me out!”

You could hear your own cries but you were powerless to stop them. With a jolt, you sat up, wide awake, just as Lucas burst through the door. He skidded to a halt at the side of your bed, placing one hand on your shoulder.

“You awake?” he asked, and your eyes widened at his presence.

“What are you doing in my room?” you demanded, and the dismay on his face was palpable. For a second, there was nothing, and recognition came to you as your consciousness kicked in and you shook your head. “Sorry. Took a moment there…”

Lucas smiled gently. “It’s okay. You kinda frightened me, big sis.” You returned the expression, squeezing his hand. “How are you feeling after last night?” he asked, seemed a little apprehensive.

With a frown, you pulled back. “After pizza? Or the Winchesters?”

He studied your eyes for a moment, before breaking out into a grin. “The pizza. You ate the whole thing, right?”

You laughed, nodding, remembering clearly eating the whole thing, and feeling a little bloated afterwards. “Did I fall asleep on the sofa?”

“Yeah,” Lucas replied, his tone uneven. “I’m heading out early today, but I’ll only be over the street.”

“I’ll make you lunch,” you announced, smiling widely. “Lucas…” He hummed at your question. “Did it happen again?” He hesitated, then nodded, and your chest tightened. “Did you text me?” Another nod. “I have to call Dr.  Lawrence, don’t I?” Lucas’ lips were pulled tight when he nodded this time. “I’m sorry.”

“You can’t help it.”

“You shouldn’t have to put up with it,” you said, angrily, but the emotion was directed at yourself. “I’ll call Dr.  Lawrence now.” Your brother left, and you sat in bed, contemplating the entire situation. When you got upset like that, you rarely remembered doing it, which was terrifying. You’d never done more than slam a few doors or break a plate, but the risk, the threat of further violence - if you ever hurt Lucas, you’d never forgive yourself.

Picking up the ridiculously pink and anciently childish corded phone on your bedside table, you dialled Dr Lawrence’s office, waiting patiently for her to pick up. “Hi, Dr Lawrence? It’s Y/N. Are you available today?”

*****

“What did the doctor say?” Lucas asked, gratefully accepting the sandwiches you’d made him for lunch. You shot him a glare, irritated that he would bring the subject up around Sam and Dean, who’d joined you for lunch.

“Nothing important,” you replied, taking your own seat at the kitchen table. “I’ll tell you later. How’s the house coming along?” All three men were filthy dirty and covered in stuff you didn’t want to know the truth of, so they’d obviously been busy.

Sam clapped Lucas on the back, a smile covering his face. “This kid can work,” he boasted, and Lucas’ cheeks turned red. “The house is already mostly stripped. We can get to work right away.” He took a bite of his sandwich, moaning at the taste, giving you a thumbs up. “These are great sandwiches. Maybe we could enjoy them on the porch? It’s really nice out.”

Your eyes went wide, and you looked to Lucas, who floundered, unsure what to say. The sound of your heartbeat thundered in your ears, and you looked down at your food, which suddenly seemed unsavoury. “I don’t go outside,” you admitted, and Sam frowned. Dean’s expression remained neutral, as he watched you, and that was somehow worse. “I had an accident -” Lucas coughed and spluttered, “and I was sick, and now… I don’t go outside.”

A silence stretched between the four of you, and you waited, unsure of their reaction. Surprisingly, Dean spoke, leaning in to the table a little. “I’m sorry for whatever happened to you,” he said, giving you a small smile, the only change of expression you’d seen on his face. “You don’t deserve to be shut away.”

Warmth blossomed in your chest, and you ducked your head, picking at your sandwich. Lucas exhaled deeply, almost as if he’d been expecting something so much worse, and Sam gave you the same smile his brother had bestowed on you. The conversation restarted, focusing on the rebuild of the Hamill house, and you relaxed into their company, stealing little glances at Dean. He seemed to be a little more laid back than before, and on more than one occasion, your eyes met, and the corner of his lips twitched upwards.

When it came time for them to leave, you were almost sad that you would be spending the rest of the day alone. Packing some beers into a bag, you handed it to Lucas, giving him a little smile. “Let me know if you want dinner tonight,” you said, and all three men nodded. The front door shut behind them, and you were left in the hallway.

The phone rang, making you jump, and you answered it, the worry in your greeting melting away when you realized it was Anna, you best friend from school. “Hey! Do you mind if I pop over with Tommy?”

Distraction was welcome, and twenty minutes later, Anna was on the doorstep, her redheaded toddler grappling with her to assert dominance. A giggle burst from the child, and his mother released him into the house.

“Is your brother really working with those drop dead gorgeous new Alphas?” Anna asked, not even over the threshold. Tommy squealed behind you, and you pointed at him, raising your eyebrows before Anna noticed. “Sorry.”

“Get in here,” you ordered, laughing and turning to scoop the struggling boy off the floor. He made a noise like an animal, fighting your hold, but you just chuckled and plonked him down on the kitchen table. “Want some crackers, Tommy?”

“Cracks! Cracks!” the child yelled, red hair flying wild around his head. He clapped, happy as a pig in mud when you handed him two cheese crackers from the cupboard. The mess was unbelievable, but Tommy was happiest when he had food.

Anna smiled, dropping herself into the furthest seat from her active offspring. “He’s been a handful this morning. Climbed out of bed again. I found him in the kitchen, with a broken baby lock and a half-empty jar of Nutella. The diaper was…” she paused and shuddered. “Children are horrifying.”

“Aww, he’s cute,” you giggled, pinching Tommy’s cheek and being gifted with a toothy, cracker-filled smile. A dollop of chewed cracker dribbled from his mouth and you made a face, pointing at him as you drew back. “But children are pretty gross.”

“Put it off,” Anna said, waving her hand. “As long as you can.” The laughter was shared between you, and you put a pot of coffee on, watching as Anna wrangled her child into her lap, where he abruptly yawned and snuggled into her. “You ever miss being able to fall asleep like that?”

You nodded, turning briefly to make the coffee, putting two sugars in Anna’s, like she always had it. Placing the cup in front of the redhead, you sat down with your own, raising an eyebrow. “So, you wanted to know about the new neighbors?”

“Hell yes,” she responded, grinning. “I mean, Daniel is gorgeous. He’s a lovely man. But those two are like… supermodels.” She sighed heavily, looking a little dreamy. “Daniel would get very insecure if he saw them.”

You bit back a laugh, and shook your head. “Daniel knows you love him. And it’s not against the rules to look.”

Anna raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been looking?” Hefting your shoulders, you shrugged and sipped at your coffee innocently. She gasped mockingly, jostling Tommy, who whined irritably. “Y/N!” She laughed as your smile grew. “It’d do you good to have a man. And I know I say it every time -”

“Having a boyfriend won’t instantly make me better, Anna,” you interrupted, shaking your head. “I’m working on it, okay? In fact, I was gonna ask if you would like to…” You sucked in a breath, preparing yourself for the anxiety of what you were about to suggest. “Go and sit on the porch with our coffee. Just for five minutes,” you added.

She stared at you for a moment, unsure if you were being serious. “Did Dr Lawrence suggest that?”

“About four months ago,” you admitted, averting your eyes from what you were sure would be a judgemental look. “What? I’ve been considering it.”

“Well, now you’ve offered, I’m taking you up on it. Come on.” She stood up, carefully shifting Tommy onto her other hip. “You bring the coffees.” You swallowed nervously, hesitating, before complying. The cups shook in your hands as you slowly followed your best friend to the door, waiting for her to open it. At the threshold, you froze, looking out onto the porch, in the shade with the sun casting long shadows over the lawn. “It’s not even technically outside. Still seventy-five percent enclosed,” Anna quipped, and you thought about it.

The words helped, and you took one withering step across the wooden floorboards, until you were the other side of the door. “Okay,” you exhaled, the word accompanied by a whoosh of air. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“We’ll keep the door open, so you can run inside if you want,” Anna offered, taking a seat on the large rocking chair that had been on the porch as long as you could remember. You kept your steps small, almost shuffling to sit on the bench next to her, placing the coffees down next to yourself, so Anna could reach hers.

Silence reigned for a few moments, as you looked out at the sun-filled street. It was quiet - it always had been - but the sound of the birds chirping, and the soft sounds of rock floating from the old Hamill place over the street, made you feel overwhelmed and happy at the same time.

Before you knew it, the five minutes had passed, and you didn’t want to go inside.

“You okay?” Anna asked, looking at you, searching for any signs of internal collapse.

“I’m fine,” you assured her, looking out into the sunshine. “It’s not like we’re really outside.” You were downplaying, you knew that, but you felt calm. Why hadn’t you tried this sooner?”

“Y/N?!” Someone called, and you jumped at the sudden noise, before you caught sight of Lucas running up to the house. “Y/N! You’re outside!”

“No, she’s not!” Anna said quickly, shaking her head.

Lucas didn’t seem to hear her. “This is wonderful, Y/N -”

And everything collapsed. A car sped down the street, and Lucas was practically jumping for joy. With a look at Anna, you bolted, like a deer in front of car headlights. Once you were back in the kitchen, breathing heavily and trying to calm down, you felt the tears building up.

Anna walked in, sans toddler, worry creasing her eyes, and you glanced up with a wobbling lip. “I’m sorry,” you blubbed, shaking your head.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” she shushed, moving to pull you into a hug. “You went outside, sweetheart. Baby steps.” Pulling back, she looked into your eyes, smiling at you. “Lucas just got excited.”

“I know,” you nodded.

“And now he has to deal with grumpy Tommy, who didn’t appreciate me waking him up.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and you laughed, wiping away your tears. Anna looked triumphant, and cupped your face. “See? You got this, girlfriend.”

You sniffed, unsure at her confidence in you. “Maybe.”

*****

After a week of working at the Hamill house, which you supposed was now the Winchester house, Lucas was good friends with both Winchesters. They came over for dinner most nights, except for when they had plans with the Novaks, and you’d adjusted to cooking big dinners. Sam was a fan of your roast chicken, while Dean seemed more inclined towards your homemade burgers.

One evening, Lucas returned alone, and you had greeted him on the porch, stepping out for only the briefest of moments. It wasn’t much, but you felt accomplished, and seeing your brother smile at your progress was worth the way your heart felt like it was going to explode from your chest.

“Where are Sam and Dean?” you asked, frowning at the dark Winchester house.

“They’re meeting with Uncle Geoff. Running over business plans or something.” Lucas ushered you inside, kicking off his shoes. “Just us tonight. But…” The word sounded heavy, like he was unsure of saying what he wanted to say. “I’ve invited them and the Novaks over for dinner tomorrow. We can order in, I don’t expect you to cook, but… Castiel and his wife, Meg, they’re really nice. I mean, you know Cas, right?” You nodded, a little apprehensive of having so many people in the house. “And you could invite Anna and Daniel? Cas has a little boy, Gabe, he’s about Tommy’s age.”

“Okay,” you replied slowly, walking into the kitchen and pulling out two beers from the fridge. Lucas accepted the one you passed to him, twisting the top off and launching it into the recyclable trash. “That… that sounds good.”

“You sure?”

Nodding, you took a large mouthful of your own beer, before fixing eyes on him. “And I don’t mind cooking. Not like I have anything else to do all day.” His mouth was a thin line at that comment, and you smiled. “I was joking. I’m getting better, Lucas. Honestly. I mean, the porch?” You raised a hand, scoffing. “Next thing you know I’ll be going into town for groceries.”

He chuckled at that, shaking his head. “Don’t push it. You might end up with a life.”

“Dork,” you replied, walking past him as he continued to laugh, although there was a smile on your face. “Not like you have one. But, I suppose that’s my fault.”

“Don’t, Y/N. None of this is your fault.”

Intense anger and rage filled your belly like a bubble, but you closed your eyes and stopped, taking deep breaths, trying to reign in the unreasonable irritation, the need to scream. Lucas watched you, worry on his face, recognizing the signs of an outburst. Instead, you exhaled for eight seconds, before sucking air back in through your nose and nodding once. “I got this,” you repeated to yourself, over and over, until the emotion passed and you could open your eyes.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice a whisper.

“Yeah. I’m just… I’m learning new techniques to try and control… it.” There was no other word for the thing that seemed to grow inside you sporadically, that stole moments from you and turned you into a raging hellbeast. Mustering a smile, you fixed your gaze on your concerned brother and gestured upstairs. “I’m going to go to bed.”

“Okay,” Lucas murmured, still wary.

You retreated to your room, placing the beer on the bedside table, knowing you’d never finish it. The sheets were warm as you slid into them, still clothed, and with the sun still shining brightly outside. It was setting, slowly, and you fell into a sort of daze, watching the room change from white, to pink, to orange and then finally, to the dark of nightfall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Winchesters and your brother are getting along famously, and your life trapped inside starts to open up a little.

The next day, you sent Lucas into town with a list of groceries, and busied yourself tidying the house in preparation for guests. It was the first social gathering of sorts that you’d had since you’d come home from the hospital, and to say you were nervous was an understatement.

When Lucas arrived home, he tried to help but ended up only hindering you, so he retreated over to the Winchester house. By the time he got home, and showered, everyone else was turning up. Sam and Dean arrived first, the latter handing you a bottle of wine with a half grunted compliment on the dress you’d chosen to wear.

Soon after, Anna arrived with Tommy, apologizing for Daniel’s absence, as he had to work. Before you’d even shut the door, Castiel and Meg arrived, both of them a little flustered with a small child in Meg’s arms babbling away like crazy. You smiled through your nerves, greeting them and accepting them into your home.

Dinner was a pleasant affair, and you found yourself relaxing with the help of wine, and with Anna’s familiar presence. Tommy and Gabriel, or Gabe as his parents called him, played happily in the living room once they’d eaten some of their dinner and thrown the rest around. Everyone was chatting, and having a good time, and you felt more normal than you had in months.

“It’s wonderful to see you, Y/N,” Castiel started, giving you a gentle smile. “When we heard about the incident… your parents were amazing people.”

“Thank you,” you replied, keeping your eyes down and your voice quiet.

“It would be good to see you at some of the community meetings. I know you don’t really…er…” The atmosphere grew tense and awkward, and you cleared your throat, deciding to make the best of a bad situation.

“Actually, I went out on the porch the other day,” you mentioned, looking proud of yourself, and Lucas smiled. Anna elbowed you in the side, giggling.

“Yeah, she did. Next thing, she’ll be running for president, you just watch.” The redhead leaned into you and you pushed her off, laughing at her joke. “In all seriousness, Y/N, you’re trying really hard.”

Meg nodded, raising her glass in your direction. “You’re dealing a lot better than others would, honey. Trust me, in my line of work, you see it a lot. Traumatic brain injuries aren’t just something you bounce back from.”

Dean blinked, staring at you in shock. “You had a brain injury?” he asked, and you nodded, feeling a little self-conscious. “That’s awful.”

“I’d say I’m over it… but if I was, I wouldn’t have to take half the drugs I do,” you joked, and Lucas laughed, making you chuckle a little. “No, it was… it is pretty scary sometimes. But I’ve got good friends, and wonderful family.” You took Lucas’ hand, squeezing it.

“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking,” Sam said quietly, leaning in to the table, and you shifted, unsure how to exactly explain it. As usual, Lucas was there, helping out.

“About two years ago, we had some out of towners causing trouble. Y/N was home from college for the weekend, and she went to the annual farmers market in town,” he sucked in a breath, feeling your hand shake as he explained. “These guys were Alphas, dangerous and… they forced our parents off the road. Killed them both instantly.”

“Shit, I’m so sorry…” Sam trailed off, aghast that he’d asked.

“It’s okay,” you whispered, shaking your head. “I was in a coma for six months. Head trauma, broken bones. They weren’t sure if I was gonna pull through, but Lucas was there every day. And Anna.” A weak smile curved your lips as you caught Dean’s eye. “I’m healing, it just takes time.”

Lucas patted your hand. “And you’re doing amazing, sis.”

You nodded, wiping away tears. “Sorry. I still get a little emotional about it.” Taking your hand away from your brother’s grip, you stood up, clapping your hands together. “The good thing about being home all the time? I bake. A lot. Pie, anyone?”

Sam laughed as Dean immediately snapped his hand into the air, the atmosphere returned to relaxation and fun. For the rest of the evening, you tried to ignore the memories of the crash, of what had happened after. When it started to get really late, Meg and Cas departed, along with Anna and the kids, leaving you with Sam, Dean and your brother.

“Are you coming over tomorrow?” Sam asked Lucas, and the younger man nodded enthusiastically. Dean’s eyes slid to you, and you met his gaze bashfully, before standing to clear away the dishes. Lucas and Sam continued to talk about the plans for the house, and when Dean appeared at your side, you jumped in surprise.

“You okay?” you asked, and he nodded, smiling at you. It was wide and genuine, and set your nerves alight.

“You wash, I’ll dry?” he offered, and you returned his smile, gesturing to the dishes already in the rack. Working in tandem, neither of you spoke, but it was a comfortable silence, with the sounds from the other two men almost disappearing in Dean’s company. “I’m sorry for what happened to you,” Dean said, suddenly. “It doesn’t seem right that you went through all that.”

“Thank you,” you whispered, giving him a grateful smile.

He took a plate from you as you washed it, drying it quickly and locating it a space on the draining board. “Do you need a hand with anything else?”

Just as you opened your mouth to speak, Lucas interrupted, laughing at something Sam said. “Hey, Y/N, could you get me another beer?”

Everything span, and you growled low in your throat, overcome with irritation at your little brother. Turning a fierce scowl on him, you put your hands on your hips and his eyes went wide. “Do I look like a slave?”

“Y/N… wait -”

It was too late. You stormed to the fridge and flung the door open, before picking up the last beer and literally throwing it at him. Lucas flinched and ducked, the bottle flying over his head to smash against the doorframe. Before anyone could react, you left the room, stomping up the stairs and slamming your bedroom door.

Dean and Sam stared, unsure what to make of your sudden change in demeanor. Lucas hung his head, sighing heavily. “She… she can’t help it,” he muttered, unwilling to meet their eyes. “You guys should probably go. I’ll, er, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Sam looked over at Dean, before nodding and standing up.

“See you tomorrow, Lucas. If you need anything -”

Lucas cut him off with a wave and a grateful smile. “She just needs to sleep. She probably won’t remember it in the morning.” Dean lingered at the door, his focus on the stairs, worry making the lines on his forehead crease up. “It’s okay - she’s okay. I’ll explain it tomorrow, okay?”

For a second, he thought Dean might protest, but the Alpha relented, following his brother out of the door. Shutting the door on their retreating backs, Lucas leaned against it, wishing he’d never gotten so relaxed. Despite the fact that it looked like you were okay, hell, you were even sharing a moment with Dean… he should have realized that you were on edge with all the people around.

He was an idiot.

*****

“It’s called the pseudobulbar affect.”

The explanation came out of the blue, as Lucas was sawing down some planks of wood for the den of their new house. Sam stopped, looking at him with concern, but the younger man avoided his gaze. Dean paused in his work, casting his eyes in the same direction.

“She gets upset. It doesn’t happen very often but when it does…” He trailed off, standing straight and looking Sam in the eye. “She can’t help it. It’s like the little reactions, in that split second, that we can ignore? She can’t. Most of the time, it’s anger. Sometimes she’ll laugh at inappropriate things, sometimes she’ll cry at ducks on the tv.” He smiled a little, but it wasn’t a happy smile. “She doesn’t remember all that often.”

“I’m sorry,” Sam offered, not sure what else to say. “You’ve looked after her all this time?”

Lucas nodded. “There isn’t anyone else. My uncle and aunt… they took over the pack when our father died. It’s just me otherwise. I couldn’t step into my dad’s shoes - I’m a Beta, and I was too young.”

“We get that,” Sam replied, and Dean cleared his throat.

“Our mom died when we were really young,” he said, quietly. “Dad died when I was twenty six, about ten years ago. So we know… we know what it’s like.”

Lucas seemed a little bolstered by that, and he nodded, a watery smile on his face. “Thanks. I mean, Y/N will get better. It just takes a long time for the brain to heal, and she was hurt so bad -”

Dean frowned. “Was it just the accident?” The younger man tilted his head, unsure of the question. “I mean, you said the out of towners were Alphas… did they… they didn’t -”

“No!” Lucas cut him off, shaking his head vehemently. “I mean, that was their intention. But when the car crashed, it wasn’t long before the police were on scene. They’d tried to get her out of the car, and she’d fought back, even though she was really hurt. Managed to stab one of them with a piece of glass from the rear window.” He seemed a little proud of that, and Dean’s lips twitched. “She nicked a vein and the guy was found bleeding out a little way away from the car.”

“Does she know that?”

Another shake of the head. “The doctors didn’t want to upset her and the cops ruled it was self-defence. But she sustained a blow to the head that caused the coma, and the injuries… they don’t know if it was from the crash or the Alphas… they left town after that.”

“Too much heat on them?” Sam guessed.

“Probably.” Lucas sighed, returning to sawing the plank. “But, I thought you should know that she doesn’t know she does these things, so please…” His eyes flickered to Dean for a moment. “Don’t judge her for it.”

Both Winchesters shook their heads. “We’re not like that,” Sam insisted softly. “But if there’s anything you need, man, we’re here. As neighbors and friends.”

“Thanks,” Lucas replied. “I appreciate it. I know Y/N would too.”

They returned to working, not making any more mention of it for the rest of the day. When the sun started to go down, Lucas made to leave, hesitating at the door.

“Do you guys wanna come over for a beer? Watch the game?”

Sam looked at Dean, who shrugged, and the younger Winchester smiled. “Sure. Just give us a few to clean up, and we’ll be over.” Lucas nodded, leaving the house, and crossing the street. He stopped on the opposite sidewalk, looking up at his house with a smile on his face when he saw you sitting on the porch rocking chair, a book in your hands, your hair loose and waving a little in the wind.

The first sound of his footstep hitting the bottom of the porch made you look up, but not in a jumpy way. You grinned, closing your book, sliding your finger into the page you’d been reading like you always did. “Hey,” you greeted, standing up.

“How long have you been out here?” he asked, and you shrugged.

“A couple hours.” You waved him off with your hand, getting up and moving to the front door. “It’s no big deal. It’s been quiet.” A wince crossed your face, and Lucas noticed, frowning.

“You okay?”

“At some point, you’ll have to stop asking that,” you replied, scowling. “What are we doing for dinner?”

Your brother gestured back, looking a little guilty. “I invited Dean and Sam over to watch the game. Is that okay?”

Worry gave you pause - you’d been feeling clammy all day. Half the reason you’d come out to the porch was to try and distract yourself. But you weren’t going to let it interfere with your brother’s burgeoning friendships. He’d lost enough because of you. “Of course that’s okay. I’ll probably go to bed early if that’s cool?”

Lucas smiled, closing the front door. “Cool.” He turned away, and you released a breath, heading off to your room. You shut yourself in, listening to the sounds of Sam and Dean arriving, and the chatter between the three men. Climbing into bed, you shut your eyes, allowing the tiredness to take over.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe you were a little more ill than you thought…

A low buzz woke you first, and you ran your tongue over your lips, finding both your skin and the inside of your mouth bone dry. Everything ached and when you tried to groan, all that came out was a rasping noise. There was something in your nose, poking up into your nostrils, and you opened your eyes, panicking, only to find them unfocused and sore.

“Y/N?”

Lucas was there. Why was Lucas in your room while you were sleeping? Attempting to ask the question didn’t get you anywhere - your throat was too dry.

“She’s awake!” Your brother was calling someone, and a moment later, you saw fuzzy shapes surround you. What the fuck was going on? “I think she’s thirsty.”

“Four days asleep, you’d be thirsty too,” quipped a pleasant feminine voice. “Y/N? Y/N, can you hear me?” You nodded, squinting as a light was shone into one eye then the other, in quick succession. “Well, she’s reactive, that’s good. Honey, can you speak?”

Something plastic was pressed against your mouth, and with it came the sweet taste of water. Instinctively, you moved your hand to grab the receptacle and gulp the liquid down, only to have your hand held down, and a whimper of pain left you.

“Sorry,” Lucas said, and you vaguely recognized it was him holding your hand. There was a discomfort in the back of your hand, but you were quickly distracted from that by more water sliding across your tongue.

“Just sips, sweetie,” the pleasant lady spoke again, and you nodded, letting your eyes fall closed again. It hurt too much to keep them open. “Could you dim the lights a little, hon?” There was a shuffling noise and the lights went down, making it slightly more comfortable to view your surroundings. Wherever you were looked distinctly like a hospital room and not your bedroom at home.

The pleasant voice belonged to a slim doctor in her early fifties, with brown bobbed hair and a nice smile. You blinked rapidly to clear the blurriness from your vision, and she nodded, checking your other vitals.

“Her temperature is back to normal. Looks like she’s through the worst of it.”

“Worst of what?” you croaked, looking between the doctor and your brother. “Why am I here?”

“She doesn’t remember,” Lucas muttered, the expression on his face akin to the face he used to make when he scraped his knee as a boy; like he was going to cry but trying to be manly. “This happens sometimes…”

“It’s likely the fever may be related to the amnesia. What’s the last thing you remember, sweetheart?” The doctor waited patiently as you grasped at the thin memories, trying to make sense of things.

“I -” You paused, swallowing, and the cup was pressed to your lips once more, allowing you another sip of water. Once you’d cleared your throat, you felt more able to speak. “I was tired. I went to bed, and you had the Winchesters over for the game…” Trying to remember more was a failure, and you sighed. “That was it.”

“That was five days ago,” Lucas informed you, and you frowned. “I came up to check on you before I went to bed, and you were unconscious, but you had a fever. I tried to wake you up, but you were just…” He shook his head, looking a little lost. “I called an ambulance, and got you here, and you woke up but they decided to sedate you to calm the fever and figure out what was going on.”

The doctor took over, sitting on the edge of your bed. “When was the last time you had a heat, Y/N?”

You felt your chest tighten and you shrugged. “I haven’t had a heat since before the accident. They said that my chemistry was off, that something was wrong with me. I have my periods as normal but… heats don’t happen anymore.”

She was scribbling something on her chart. “And has there been any change in routine recently, something that could have triggered your heat like this? Because you haven’t had one in a while, it may be that your body has managed to heal whatever was wrong. The brain is still very much a mystery.”

With a shrug, you looked away. “Nothing happened. I mean, I went outside for a little.”

“You… you don’t normally go outside?” the doctor clarified.

“Not since…” you trailed off, exhaustion pulling at you. “I’m sorry, I’m really tired.”

She patted your hand, standing up and looking to Lucas. “She needs rest. I want to keep her here until at least tomorrow morning, then you can take her home. This looks to me like her heat kicked in, and after so long without one, it was overwhelming to her body.” With a friendly smile, she patted your hand again. “Just call me if you need anything.”

You were already drifting, losing yourself in sleep once more, and you didn’t even notice the doctor leaving.

When you woke up the second time, you were slightly less confused, but just as thirsty. Lucas was still there, albeit the bags under his eyes had gotten heavier. As soon as you twitched, he held up the cup of water, and you sipped at it delicately, trying not to pay too much attention to the IV in the back of your hand.

“How’re you feeling?” Lucas asked, watching as you drank.

“Like I got hit by a truck and sat on by a rhino,” you replied in a mumble, before draining the cup and passing it back to him. His mouth was a thin line, and he waited for you to speak. Your eyes were focusing on some unknown point in the room, and it took Lucas snapping his fingers to bring you. “Sorry,” you whispered, “I guess I’m a little out of it.”

“Doctor Simms wants to do an MRI,” he said, slowly, wary of your reaction. “She wants to make sure the fever hasn’t caused any further damage.” You nodded, sighing heavily. “Dean was asking after you. They saw the EMTs at the house. The flowers are from them.”

You frowned, pulling your head back. “Flowers?” Lucas pointed up past your head and you turned your face to see the huge bouquet of roses and carnations, sitting in an elegant white vase. “Oh. They’re nice.” Your brother watched you, unsure of your blase reaction, and you leaned back into the pillows, not certain of how you felt about anything. “How long do I have to stay here?”

“At least another day,” Lucas replied, reaching out to take your hand where it rested limply on the bed. “Y/N…”

“I’m hungry,” you announced, frowning down at the IV line running from the back of your hand. “And this is really itchy.”

“I don’t know if you can eat yet.” Your eyes followed the younger Beta as he got up and walked to the door, opening it to peer out into the corridor. He caught someone’s attention, and a second later a nurse appeared, her friendly smile doing nothing to put you at ease.

“Can I help?” she asked, and Lucas smiled at her nervously.

“My, er, my sister is hungry. I’m not sure if she’s allowed to eat…”

The nurse’s smile widened and she nodded. “Patient mealtimes are over, but I can fetch her something. She doesn’t have a nothing by mouth order. Would a sandwich do, sweetie?” You nodded, but didn’t respond verbally, and the nurse disappeared again. Lucas lingered by the door, and for some reason, that irritated you.

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” you said, sounding as grumpy as you felt. Logically, you knew it wasn’t his fault, but he was always the only one there to bear the brunt of your mood swings. He didn’t reply, avoiding your eyes as he returned to the uncomfortable looking armchair he’d probably spent the entire week in. “Don’t you have work or something?”

“It’s nearly eleven at night,” he pointed out, keeping his tone neutral. There wasn’t a response to that, so you remained quiet, staring at the wall opposite your bed. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice you weren’t well. I should have paid more attention.”

Anger quelled into guilt, the burden you placed on your little brother making you feel sick to your stomach. Slowly, you met his eyes, offering him an apologetic look. “It’s not your fault. They told me I couldn’t… that I wasn’t going to have heats any more, and I guess we shouldn’t have taken that for granted.” You shrugged, sighing heavily. “Let’s just get me out of here, yeah?”

Lucas nodded, sitting up as the nurse returned with a freshly made sandwich. You ate in silence, promptly falling asleep shortly afterwards.

The next day, you woke alone, and Lucas was gone. He’d left a message with an intern, who’d cheerfully informed you that your brother had to return to work, but he’d be back on his lunch break. Your MRI was scheduled for the afternoon, and Doctor Simms arrived a few moments beforehand, finding you concerned about your brother’s non-appearance at lunch. “Everything okay, Y/N?”

“Worried about Lucas,” you muttered, watching as they removed the IV from your arm, wincing as the needle slid from your flesh and blood welled up at the exit point. “He said he’d come by for lunch, that he’d be here for this.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” the doctor assured you, smiling softly, and you grunted at the response.

Being no stranger to MRI machines after your accident, you managed to keep yourself calm in the machine. The whole procedure took less than thirty minutes, and by the time you were taken back to your room, you felt exhausted, and the intern frowned when he checked your vitals, showing them to Doctor Simms. There was a moment of murmuring between them, but you were already drifting.

“She’s got a fever again.”

The words made you open your eyes, and the first thing you noticed was the lack of daylight streaming into the small private room. With a frown, you pushed yourself up, frowning at the concerned looks that the doctor and your brother were shooting you. “Lucas?” you croaked, giving up on trying to summon any energy. “Where were you? They’re taking me for the scan soon.” The concerned glances increased, but you ignored them, closing your eyes again.

“We detected some increased intracranial pressure from the fever,” the doctor said, but the words didn’t make any sense to you. There was more from your brother, asking what that meant, and something about confidence in controlling it. Everything required energy, and you just didn’t have it in you to stay awake.

“She’s asleep again,” Lucas murmured, moving closer to the bed.

“That’s best for now,” Doctor Simms replied, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “She needs rest, to let her body fight the fever. But this isn’t going to get better, Lucas. We can treat her for now, reduce the fever, but… she needs an Alpha. I’ve seen her previous notes, about the accident, and it seems that something has triggered her body into the reproductive cycle, and with Omegas…”

“If they don’t mate, they die,” he replied, unable to take his eyes off you. “She doesn’t leave the house. How is she supposed to…”

“I don’t know. But if she doesn’t… there’s very little we can do.”

*****

You didn’t remember much of your time in the hospital, and it was another four days before the fever was brought down. They released you later in the evening, so the drive home in the dark wouldn’t be as jarring as during the day, when you hadn’t left the house of your own volition in a year.

Lucas didn’t complain when you retreated to your room, desperate for the comfort of your own bed, but you left the door open so you didn’t worry him. A few visitors came by, looking to check on you, and Lucas headed them off so they didn’t disturb you as you tried to recover.

It wasn’t all dire news - once the swelling had gone down, and another MRI had checked on the injuries, Doctor Simms had informed you that there was some progress with your previous injuries. Your body was trying harder to heal itself, but it wouldn’t mean much if the next heat killed you.

A week after your release, you were working your way through A Song Of Ice And Fire, when your brother knocked on your door, leaning on the frame as he waited for you to put the book down. You managed a small smile, placing the book on the coffee table. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Lucas replied, shrugging a little. “Sam and Dean asked me to go over and give them some help. I haven’t been there much with… everything.” Once again, you were holding him back, destroying the life he could have had. “Do you mind if I go over?”

You couldn’t form the words, wanting so badly to apologize for being his fuck up of a big sister, for reducing him to a glorified wet nurse. With a nod, you mustered up a weak smile, and Lucas looked so goddamn happy…

“I’ll buy dinner later, promise.”

“You don’t have to do that,” you whispered, curling back into the covers.

Lucas smiled brightly, shaking his head, before approaching the bed and kissing you on the forehead. “I want to. You know I love you right?”

“Sap,” you murmured, and he laughed, leaving you to your reading. The book seemed like a pointless activity now, and you sat up, staring out the window at the morning sun. Downstairs, the front door shut with a bang, indicating Lucas’ departure, and you sighed, feeling worse by the moment.

You had to get better. You couldn’t doom him to this miserable existence you were living, that you were subjecting him to.

Swinging your legs over the side of the bed, you got to your feet, a look of determination on your face. At this point, you weren’t even sure how long you’d been wearing the sweater and yoga pants, but they suddenly felt disgusting to you. You needed to freshen up, get your life back on track.

A shower would do in the first instance.

Forty-five minutes later, you were downstairs, dressed in people clothes, and busying yourself with cleaning. Lucas was wonderful at most things, but his cleaning standards were not fantastic. Neither was his cooking, which was why he was always buying take out.

Once the kitchen and living room were spotless, you started to feel restless, like you weren’t doing enough. For a few moments, you stood on the porch, watching the world outside, and you realized that since the drive home from the hospital, you hadn’t been staying in your room out of a fear of the outside world. That fear was still there, but this time, it was more a fear of your own ability to manage life.

Why had you spent a year hiding away? Dr Lawrence always said it was your mind playing tricks on you, holding you back, but you’d refused that notion, relying on the explanation of your injuries. But you’d been trapping yourself.

Baby steps. That was the key, right?

The phone started ringing, and you ignored it, shutting the front door and turning to the back door. When you were young, you had loved the garden, spending hours sat on the swing set and running about with your cousins. Now, you couldn’t remember what it even looked like.

With a deep breath, you opened the back door, stepping out onto the veranda, and down the steps onto the lawn before you could stop and reconsider your actions. And there you were. Outside the house, standing in the grass that was… impeccable.

Lucas had kept it exactly how your mother had. The roses bloomed, and chrysanthemums dotted the borders of the lawn, before larger, more impressive flowers crowded the deck. And the swing set, abandoned and unloved for so long…

It feel like putting on shoes you’d adored, but had grown out of. Sure, your ass was a little bigger than the last time you’d sat on it, but it was just the same. Smiling to yourself, you used your feet to pick up momentum, the smile becoming a laugh as the breeze caught your hair. Higher and higher you swung, the sound of your laughter echoing off of the fences, and you were so caught up in your own rediscovery, you didn’t notice you weren’t alone.

Dean stood at the back door, watching you, his own smile mirroring yours. “What are you doing?” Lucas asked, frowning as he came up behind him. “Holy shit…” The younger man’s voice trailed off as he saw you, on the swing, using it with all the vigor you’d held for it as a small child. “She’s…”

“Maybe the illness did her some good?” Dean suggested, opening the door before Lucas could protest. For a moment, you didn’t notice, and your little brother felt a wave of apprehension, not wanting to spook you. The eldest Winchester jogged across the lawn, giving you a little wave, and you stopped swinging, grinning at him. “Want me to push you?” he offered, a smirk on his lips, and you nodded.

His strong hands grabbed the chains either side of you, before dragging you backwards, and you squealed loudly as he pushed you high on the seat. When his fingers brushed your sides, you shuddered, trying to ignore the proximity of the Alpha behind you.

“You’re feeling better then?” Lucas asked, wandering over as Dean caught the swing and brought you down to earth slowly. “Because I wasn’t sure you were ever going to get out of bed.” He looked around, a little uncertain. “Let alone come outside.”

You shrugged, as if it were no big deal. “I miss the garden. Besides, it’s not really outside the house. There’s still a fence all the way around.”

“Well, maybe if you’re up to it, when we’ve finished the dining room at least, you could come over for supper?” Dean offered, and your smile grew.

“I would love that.”

Lucas frowned, putting a hand against your forehead, and you swatted him away in irritation. For a second, he froze, waiting for you to snap. “You sure you’re feeling okay?” he asked, tentatively, and you nodded, the scowl on your face softening. “Because this is a big change…”

“I know,” you admitted. “But… I could have died last week.” Dean stiffened at your words, but you barely noticed. “And I don’t… I’m just ruining everything for everyone.” Your brother opened his mouth to protest, but you didn’t let him. “And don’t say I’m not. Because I know I’m broken, and I don’t wanna be broken anymore.”

Silence followed your remark, and you jumped a little when Dean’s hand touched your shoulder. “You’re not broken,” he muttered, green eyes locking on yours. A smile twitched the corner of your mouth, and then the moment was interrupted by Sam’s arrival.

“Hey!” he called, frowning as he jogged down the steps into the garden. “Are we doing lunch or what?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re healing, moving forward, and everything seems like it’s going to be okay.

The full moon rolled around, and with it, the pack meeting. A few days before, you’d decided that you were going to go, which had Lucas turning into a bundle of nerves. In all honesty, he was making a bigger deal of it than you wanted, especially when he decided to ask Sam and Dean to accompany you.

“I don’t need bodyguards,” you snapped, pulling your sweater over your head. “Just wanted to come along and you know… be normal. You’re not making it normal.”

“I’m worried,” Lucas retorted, lacing up his boots. “This is a big step. Lots of people.”

“People aren’t the problem,” you muttered, growling in irritation as he got in your way, just as the doorbell rang. “You’re an overbearing little shit, Lucas.”

“Oh, there’s the sister I missed,” he joked, earning himself a slap around the head on your way to answer the door. The Winchesters were on the doorstep, both of them smiling, and Dean gestured to the sleek black car at the edge of the sidewalk. “Hey guys!”

“Hi,” you greeted, quietly, shyly meeting Dean’s eyes. Sam shot the both of you a knowing look, before standing back out of your way. “Is that your car?” you asked, eyes widening at the Impala, and Dean puffed out his chest proudly, prompting Sam to roll his eyes.

“That’s my baby,” Dean announced. “And she has the honor of driving us to the meeting tonight.”

You blushed as he offered his arm, leading you down the steps while Sam and Lucas loitered behind. It was odd, how you didn’t worry about taking that step off of the porch, about walking down the grass towards the car waiting for you. Suddenly, all that mattered was how damn close Dean was, and how fucking good he smelled.

Sitting behind him in the car, you watched the easy interaction between the brothers, as Lucas watched you like a hawk, ready for you to snap at any moment. But there was nothing but calmness, even when you arrived at the meeting hall, and the whispers started. It didn’t take long for your uncle Geoff to notice your attendance.

“Y/N?”

“Hello, Uncle Geoff,” you replied, giving him a little wave. The big Alpha swept you up into a hug, and you laughed at the affection, smiling when he pulled away. “Thought it was about time I got out of the house,” you quipped, earning yourself a smile from the Alpha of the pack.

“It is very good to see you.” His eyes moved to Lucas, who continued to monitor you. “I see your brother is very much intent on being your guardian this evening?” You chuckled at that, before realizing you were flanked by not only Lucas, but Sam and Dean, the latter of whom was standing a little closer to you than he probably ought to have been. “Bodyguards?” Geoff joked, as Dean stuck out his hand, recognizing the authority the Alpha held.

“Dean Winchester, sir,” Dean introduced, bending his head as Geoff took his hand and shook it. “We met last month.”

“Ah, the new Alphas in town,” Geoff mused, his eyes sliding to you for a brief second. “I understand you’re my niece and nephew’s new neighbors?”

“Try saying that three times fast,” you muttered, elbowing Lucas, who gave you a weak chortle. “God, y’all are acting like I died or something. This is a good thing. I’m out of the house.” None of the men said anything, and you rolled your eyes. “I’m gonna get something to drink.” Taking your leave, you ignored the stares and whispers, finding Anna at the refreshments table. “Hey!”

Her mouth dropped as she saw you approach, before she squealed loudly enough to get everyone’s attention. You yelped as she threw her arms around you, smothering you more than your uncle had done. “Oh my god,” she cried, laughing hysterically. “You didn’t tell me you were coming!”

You shrugged, acting like it was nothing, although your heart was pounding in your chest. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“I’m so proud of you!” Anna gushed, cupping your face. “I mean, with the circumstances and all.” You frowned, tilting your head in confusion, and she realized that you had no idea what she was talking about. “You haven’t heard…”

“Heard what?”

Your friend swallowed, looking around, just as Lucas rushed over to you. “The Alpha pack… they’ve been spotted in Gainesville. Next town over.” The color drained from your face just as Lucas’ hand wrapped around your arm, yanking you backwards. “Lucas!” Anna snapped.

“Don’t… it’s okay,” Lucas said, holding you steady, but you’d already made up your mind to be firm and strong. You snatched yourself out of his grip, scowling at him. “I’m sorry,” he pleaded. “I didn’t think -”

“Didn’t think I’d want to know that our parents’ murderers are back in town?” Your voice was shrill and filled with anger, and everyone was staring now. “Didn’t want to worry the poor fragile sister? Y/N, who’s so broken -”

“It wasn’t like that!” your brother insisted, shaking his head. “Y/N, please -”

“Y/N.” Dean’s low timbre caught your attention, and you narrowed your eyes as him as you turned to look in his direction.

“Did you know?” you asked, and he shook his head. “Tell me the truth.”

“We knew something was wrong,” Sam intervened. “But we weren’t made aware of what. Lucas… you should have told her.”

Lucas shook his head. “She wouldn’t have come. She was doing so good -”

“ _She_  is standing right fucking here,” you growled, the words coming through gritted teeth. “I’m not a child. I’m not a baby. I’m not fragile.” Sucking in a breath, you clasped your fists at your sides. “I refuse to be that girl any more. If these Alphas are gonna cause trouble -”

“They’re not,” Geoff’s voice boomed out, and everyone turned, instinctively obeying the Alpha of the pack. “We will make sure of it. They are being monitored, and show no sign of coming near our borders. Gainesville have been made aware, and they are dealing with it as a pack. Now, this is a town meeting. So I would ask you all to take your seats.”

Everyone shuffled around, moving towards the neatly lined plastic chairs if they weren’t sat in one already, and Lucas went to take your arm again. Shunning him, you pulled away, positioning yourself between Dean and Sam, steadfastly ignoring your brother. You knew you were being childish, but Lucas had purposely withheld information from you, and that hurt. He was the  _little_  brother… you were not his charge.

The meeting was boring, like you remembered them being, and you were too on edge to sit still. The pack elders went through the minutes of the last meeting, and issued congratulations to the two families expecting once again, before moving onto the town harvest festival. At this point, all you cared about was the Alpha pack and what they were up to, but it seemed that fact was glossed over. If Geoff had it under control, then he wasn’t going to discuss it with the entire pack.

As everything drew to a close, you scowled, and Dean nudged you with his arm. “You okay, sweetheart?” Nodding, you missed the frown on his face as Geoff moved off to talk privately with the other pack elders. “Y/N?”

“I’m fine,” you whispered, wanting to know what they were talking about. Standing up, you moved to go and speak to your uncle but Dean caught your arm. “Let go,” you hissed, and he shook his head, something glinting in his eyes. A thrill of possessiveness ran through you, and you snatched your arm back, changing direction and storming outside, relief flooding your senses when you were out in the cool air alone.

The sound of an engine caught your attention, and a blue Mustang sped down the street, the occupants not visible at such a high speed. But the noise of the overpowered vehicle sent you stumbling back, your senses overwhelmed with deja vu and the scent of Alpha that permeated the air.

You knew that car.

A pounding pain started in your head, and you winced, pressing the heel of your palm to your temple, just as you backed up into a warm, solid body. Turning, you came face to face with Dean, an expression of worry on his handsome features.

“Y/N, you okay?”

You shuddered, shaking your head, still clutching your temple. “Headache,” you whispered, and he frowned. “Dean… take me home.”

The Alpha was quick to respond, practically lifting you off of the ground before anyone else came out of the meeting. He carried you around to the Impala, and settled you in the backseat, whipping out his phone and firing off a text. Minutes later, your brother and his appeared, but you ignored their concerned questions as you buried your head in your arms, wanting nothing more than your bed.

When the car started, you curled in on yourself, not even noticing that Lucas was not in the car with you. The journey to your house was only a few minutes, and the car door opened shortly after the vehicle came to a stop. Dean’s arms were around you again, and you didn’t protest in the slightest as he lifted you into his hold and carried you into the house.

“I’ll go back and get Lucas,” Sam muttered, nodding at his brother. “Dean -”

“I know,” came the elder’s reply. You didn’t know what the silence speech was about, and you didn’t care, only focusing on the comfort of Dean’s scent. Closing your eyes, you molded into his arms, and when he attempted to extricate himself from you in your bedroom, you refused to let go. “At least let me take my coat off,” he muttered, amusement in his tone. You opened your eyes again, looking up at him with a pout, before reluctantly releasing him.

“Sorry.”

“Nothin’ to be sorry for,” Dean replied, shedding his coat and boots, just as you kicked your sneakers off the end of the bed. “You sure you want me here?” An enthusiastic nod made your headache worse and you grimaced, only for Dean to immediately slide into your bed beside you. “Get some sleep, Y/N.” It wasn’t a command you were about to ignore, and you fitted yourself into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist. You’d never sought comfort from an Alpha before, but with Dean… ever since you’d met him, his scent had drawn you in.

“Thank you,” you whispered, drifting off to sleep, missing his smile.

“You’re welcome, Omega.”

*****

Days passed, and there was no more mention of the Alpha pack. Dean was gone the next morning when you’d woken up, and Lucas was home, explaining that Dean had to leave for work. You hadn’t even realized he had a job, which made you realized how little you actually knew about the Winchesters.

Gathering the courage to go anywhere alone was hard, but you slowly started to venture out further on your own. Restarting your life after everything was strange, but not unfathomable. You knew there was no chance of going back to college, or even the career you’d planned out - you didn’t hold any unrealistic goals in your mind.

By the end of the week, you managed to walk into town, with Lucas, all the way to the garage where Dean was working as a mechanic. The look of surprise on his face was worth every nerve racking step you’d taken.

“Hey,” he greeted, standing straight and wiping his hands off. “What brings you here?”

You glanced at Lucas, who grinned and left you to go to the store. Swallowing down your worry, you looked back at Dean, forcing a smile onto your face. “I wanted to see if we could go out. To dinner.”

Dean blinked, not sure if he’d heard you right. “Dinner?”

“There’s a diner,” you rushed out, wringing your hands together as you looked anywhere but directly at him, almost mumbling your words. “It’s called Ellen’s, and it’s on the other side of town, and their pie is amazing, and you like pie, and I like you, so I’m kinda hoping that we could…”

“Whoa, whoa,” Dean interrupted, gripping your upper arms in his huge hands, smiling at you as you shivered with nerves in front of him. “I would love to go out for dinner with you. And pie.” His lips quirked back, revealing his perfect white teeth and you felt like collapsing from relief. “Tonight?”

With a nod, you let the smile on your face grow genuinely and the Alpha nodded. There was no thought process or hesitation on your part when you pushed up onto tiptoes and pressed your lips to his. Shock at your own actions made you freeze, and Dean did too for all of a split second. When he started to respond and deepen the kiss, your heart thumped and missed a beat, and you closed your eyes.

It ended all too soon, and you stood there, looking a little dreamy as Dean chuckled. “Pick you up at eight?”

“Yeah,” you whispered. “Eight.”

You almost skipped out of the shop to find your brother, who was waiting outside the store for you. “How did it go?” he asked, seeming a little too happy.

“He said yes. Why are you so… happy about this?”

Lucas shrugged, trying to appear innocent, and you narrowed your eyes. “Lucas…” There was a warning tone to your voice, but he only laughed, starting off down the road. The suspicion didn’t leave as you rushed to catch up with him, keeping a steady glare in his direction. “Did you know, that people who find their mate tend to be healthier, and have a longer life span?”

“Are you setting me up?”

He shrugged again, continuing down the road, and you remained quiet, wondering why he was suddenly spouting stuff about mates. It was a fairy tale your mom had always told you, like the long tale of how she’d known your father was the one, that being with him was her destiny, and as a little girl, you ate that bullshit up. Lucas was even more skeptical of the entire explanation when he presented as Beta at ten, and he’d cried for an entire week that he’d never have someone to love him like his mom loved his dad.

You felt like you’d told him Santa wasn’t real when you told him the whole thing was crap. And now, it seemed, he must believe in it a little.

But why the healthier bit and the living longer? Was he implying that you should get with Dean because he might fix you? Did you need fixing? Was Lucas that desperate to be rid of you?

By the time you reached the house, trailing a few meters behind your brother, your mind was a jumble of anxiety and worry. Whats ifs and supposes circled your brain like water down a drain, over and over, prompting you to chew on the inside of your cheek thoughtfully, worry creasing the line between your eyebrows.

“Y/N?” Lucas asked, frowning at you from where he stood with his key in the door. “You okay?”

You plastered a smile on your face and nodded at him, which seemed to placate him. As soon as his back was turned, you scowled, unsure of his motives. When you walked into the house, you couldn’t stop the question bursting out of your lips, and you regretted it as soon as you saw the pain on his face.

“Why would you say that?” His words were laced with hurt, and your stomach rolled.

“You’ve been really encouraging this Dean thing,” you murmured, rubbing the top of your arm with your opposing hand. “And saying all that stuff. I’m just saying that, if you want me to leave, you can just say.”

Lucas shook his head, sadness on his expression. “Why would I want you to leave? You’re my sister.”

You barked a bitter laugh. “I’m your broken sister. Head doesn’t work properly, body’s failing… I don’t blame you for wanting your life back. You could have been successful, maybe married with a family… if I wasn’t in need of a babysitter all the time.”

He blinked, his mouth contorting through shock, anger and sadness before settling on neutral. “You’re getting better. Loads better. We just walked into town and back. You haven’t had to call Dr. Lawrence out of office hours in nearly six weeks. And you know why?” You shook your head, unable to muster an argument. “Because of Dean Winchester. You told me that Mom and Dad meeting was never fate, but guess what? Since Dean Winchester got here, you’ve been healing. He’s your true mate.”

“There’s no such thing!” you cried, not wanting to believe it. Having your future and life snatched away from you was bad enough - knowing you had no control over your destiny was worse. “He’s just an Alpha, Lucas!”

“He’s  _your_  Alpha, Y/N!” the Beta replied. “Anyone would be falling over themselves for an Alpha like that!”

The phrasing threw you off, and you stepped back, noticing the way Lucas’ chest was heaving, and the emotion on his face. It was odd, how upset he was, and you frowned again. “Lucas…”

He was gone, on the track of his rant, and there was no stopping him. “I always believed I was gonna be an Omega. And then I’m a Beta. And Mom told me I’d find someone. Except I didn’t. I went through high school, never felt anything with anyone. Thought there was something wrong with me. And then… god, I met this guy -” Shock lifted your eyebrows. “He was perfect. Except… he was an Alpha. And I’m just a Beta. He didn’t even look twice at me.”

“Lucas… are you… are you coming out to me?”

There was fear in his eyes when he looked up at you, and you felt sick to your stomach that he would ever feel like he had to keep something like this from you, that he had kept something like this from you. His entire body shook as he nodded, and you covered your mouth.

“I can’t believe… you didn’t tell me…” You shook your head, dropping your hand and moving closer to him. “That’s why you never had a girlfriend?” Lucas nodded, tears in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

His eyes were almost brimming over with tears now, and he sniffed. “I did tell you. The day of the accident. That’s why you were out that day. It wasn’t because you were going to the farmers market. It was because you, Mom and Dad were coming back to get me from the bus station. I got kicked out of college.”

“Kicked out?”

Lucas nodded again, looking away from you. “I had a thing, with the quarterback. He was on a full ride, looking to make more money than he could dream of. He kept me a secret, dated the top bimbo in school for show. When we got caught by one of his teammates, they decided to get me kicked out of school because they didn’t want a dirty homo sullying their captain.”

There was a stretched silence between you as you considered his words. “And I knew all this?”

The tears were falling thick and fast by now, and you pulled him into a hug. “I didn’t… I just didn’t know what else to do. It was my fault you got hurt, my fault Mom and Dad…”

“No.” You held him firmly, shaking your head. “Those Alphas wanted me. It would have happened anywhere. God, if we’d already picked you up, you would have been dead too. I don’t… Lucas, you should have told me.”

“I know,” he sobbed, clinging to you. “That’s why I want you to be with Dean. Because you’re getting a chance that I almost took away from you, and he’s yours, Y/N. I know he is. You’ve been getting better.” The jury was still out on his belief in true mates, but for now, you just wanted him to realize that none of it was his fault.

When he pulled away, his face was blotchy and tear stained. A discomfort settled in your belly, and you stepped back. “I should get a shower. And… you know…”

“I am sorry, Y/N,” your brother muttered, finally meeting your eyes. “I didn’t… I didn’t think you would see it like that.”

You replied with a soft smile, reaching out to squeeze his arm gently. “I’m gonna go get ready for my date, okay?” His face brightened a little, and he nodded, placing his hand over yours. “Get some lunch and wash your face.”

Turning away from him, you felt a little lighter. A little more like the elder sibling should. Lucas had spent so long taking responsibility, you had to at least try and see if whatever he thought was between you and Dean was true.

Fairy tales were just fairy tales, after all.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally go on a proper date with Dean. But how will the night end?

It was a chilly evening, and you sat on the porch with a thick cardigan wrapped around your shoulders, pinned by your fingers at your middle. You’d opted for warmer clothing, and you were watching the house over the road. Dean had already come out and then rushed back in, probably having forgotten something, and he’d given you a little wave when he’d finally emerged, jogging over with a smile on his face.

“I would have driven over, but I think that would qualify as lazy,” he joked, offering a hand to help you off the stoop. “Don’t want you thinking less of me.” You gave him a reluctant smile, and almost instantly, the Alpha picked up on your discomfort. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, just…” You waved a hand in the direction of the house, where Lucas had been hiding in his room since your earlier confrontation. “Family stuff.”

Dean frowned, pulling you a little closer. “Want me to take your mind off of it?”

“Kinda,” you replied, your voice hitching a his proximity. Closing your eyes, you leaned into him, feeling his hand cup the side of your face a split second before his lips met yours. The second kiss you’d shared with him was over just as quickly as the first, and when you pulled away, he was smirking cockily.

“Did that work?”

“Definitely.”

Dean hooked his arm through yours, and gestured to the Impala parked across the street. “Shall we?” You smiled, a little wider this time, allowing him to guide you down to the curb. He opened the passenger door for you, before allowing you to settle into your seat.

The diner wasn’t busy when you arrived, and it allowed you and Dean to have a slightly more personal affair. Your waitress was an old school friend, who was happy to see you out and about. Pleasantries were exchanged, before she left you with the menus, and you apologized to Dean once she was out of earshot.

“You don’t have to apologize,” he smiled, shaking his head as he picked up the menu. “You’ve had a rough time and this is a small town. People are happy to see you recovering.” There was a pause as he looked at you over the menu, his dimples pronounced with his smile. “I’m happy to see you recovering.”

You swallowed, feeling your cheeks heat up with a blush. “Lucas thinks it’s got something to do with you.”

“Me?”

With a nod, you focused your eyes on the menu, suddenly unsure of repeating your brother’s cryptic words. “Because of the whole Alpha and Omega thing. Says that, er, that it’s -” You couldn’t force the words out, and you floundered helplessly. “That mates live longer, and they’re healthier.”

Dean blinked, raising an eyebrow as he sat back. His mouth remained in a thin line, and for a moment, you worried that he was thinking the worst. But then he grinned, and winked. “Well then, if I’m helping you get better, all the more reason to stick around.”

The tension broke, and you laughed at his comment, and from there, everything felt a whole lot more comfortable. Dean was curious about your life growing up in a small town that had few Omegas, and you in turn asked him questions about his childhood. He was open and honest with you, telling you about losing his mom, helping to raise Sam, and the loss of his father. As it turned out, the Winchesters had had their fair share of loss - Sam had lost his Omega shortly before college, prompting him to drop out and focus on other pursuits to cope with his grief.

“And you?” you asked, looking up at him through your lashes as he finished the last bite of his burger. “You never had an Omega?”

He shook his head, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “No. Never had that kind of connection with anyone. I was with a Beta for a while, her name was Lisa. But… she lied to me. A lot. She didn’t like the amount of time I spent with Sam, and things just… went south. Doubt she even remembers me now,” he joked, chuckling with little humor in his tone. “It was better that way, I think. It’s always been me and Sam. He’s… he’s my brother. Only family I got, really.”

“Me too,” you whispered, “with Lucas, that is.”

“What about your uncle?” Dean asked, and you shrugged.

“He’s busy with the pack, and we weren’t exactly close. He checks in but, mostly? Just me and Lucas. And now…”

“No Alphas ever on the scene?” he enquired, and you laughed mirthlessly. “I’ll take that as a no.”

“I was all about my education. Bettering myself. And then… this happened, and it all kinda ground to a halt.” You grew bolder as you sat up straight, fiddling with the untouched knife on the table in front of you. “There’s this really hot Alpha that’s moved into our street recently though. I kinda can’t stop thinking about him.”

Dean smirked, leaning in with one elbow on the tabletop. “Oh yeah? Tall, handsome?”

You nodded, pushing the plate and cutlery out of the way so you could rest your arms on the table, inches from touching him. “He’s gorgeous. Smells like heaven. Helpful, kind… just the sort of Alpha a girl could dream about.”

There was a look on his face that you couldn’t quite decipher, and he shook his head. “Man, can’t believe you’re using me to get to my brother. I mean, I know he’s younger, probably sexier -”

“Dean Winchester, you’re an idjit,” you giggled, reaching over to swipe at him. He dodged the hit easily, laughing at your reaction, before giving you a look, his eyes darkening. “You really think I’d want Sam over you? You’re easily sexier.”

“So, you’re admitting my brother is sexy?” A napkin flew at his head, and Dean laughed again. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. How about we get that pie to go?” There was heavy suggestion in his tone, and you sucked in a breath, nodding. Your waitress friend eagerly cleared your plates and boxed up two slices of cherry pie, and you left the diner with Dean’s fingers laced through yours, while your other hand clutched the small pink box. At the car, Dean stopped, turning to face you, cupping your chin and pulling you into a deep kiss, that lasted so much longer than the others had.

“We should get some coffee with that pie,” he murmured, hazy green eyes looking into yours.

“Are you asking me to go home with you on the first date?” you asked, feeling a little drunk on his proximity, and Dean nodded, his nose brushing against yours. “That’s a little forward of you.”

“Oh sweetheart, I’m feeling  _very_  forward right now,” he growled, grinding his hips into your belly, and you gasped at the feel of him. “I haven’t been able to get you outta my head, darlin’. The scent of you…” He wasn’t expecting you to drop the pie onto the roof of the car and fling your arms around his neck. This kiss was heated, teeth and tongues, and god, you could drown in the taste of him. It had been so long since anyone had touched you like this, or made you feel like you were actually a person…

“Dean,” you whined, arching into him as his kisses trailed down your throat, teeth lightly scraping at your pulse point. “I don’t wanna take this too far -” Dean pulled back, worry on his face, his instant thought that he had pushed you too hard. “- in a parking lot,” you finished, smirking at him. “Will you just take me home already?”

He grinned wolfishly, opening the car door and practically shoving you in, before grabbing the pie and moving around to the drivers side. The wheels of the Impala squealed as he pulled away from the diner, one hand on the wheel and the other on your knee.

Leaving the town, driving along the quiet streets toward the suburbs, you found yourself leaning into Dean, peppering kisses along his jaw, completely distracting him from driving. A red light had him pulling the car to a stop at an intersection, and he seized the opportunity to kiss you again, both of you smiling and laughing like teenagers.

Neither of you saw what hit you.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it too good to be true? The past comes back to haunt you and more secrets tumble out.

_Not again._

Your first thought when you opened your eyes, feeling wet grass under your cheek. The Impala was up ahead, crumpled into a streetlight, smoke rising from her hood. Dean was behind you, sitting up, clutching his head with blood dripping between his fingers.

“Dean?”

“S’okay, baby,” he murmured, looking over at you. “I got you out the car.”

“What happened?” you asked, wincing as you sat up.

“Blue Mustang. Hit us and sped off.” Dean climbed to his feet, stumbling as blood blurred his vision. “Shit, I hit my head hard.” Worry creased your brow, and you stood slowly, rushing to support him. The sound of an engine roared down the quiet street, and you turned with horror on your face. “What the fuck?” Dean cursed, looking up as the headlights drew closer.

“That car…” you whimpered, shaking your head. “Dean, we have to go!”

The Alpha seemed dazed, and he stumbled, groaning as you tried to drag him away from the damaged Impala. The blue Mustang swerved around the wreck and came to a stop, lights shining over you and Dean, blocking the way to your street. You swallowed, clinging to the injured Alpha, terror making your throat close up. “Y/N,” Dean snarled, pushing you behind him.

There was a creaking sound as the door of the battered old Mustang swung open, and heavy boots landed on the asphalt. A large figure emerged from the driver’s side, and beyond the lights, he was indistinguishable, but you could smell the Alpha coming off of him. The lights flicked off, and the man was revealed, making Dean growl in anger, despite the blood dripping from his head wound.

“Back the fuck up,” he snapped, holding you behind him. “What the fuck are you doing?” The anger coming off of him was intense, and it was doing nothing to calm you down. Suddenly, you wished you’d stayed in your room.

“Hmmm,” the other Alpha hummed, shutting the car door. Two other doors opened, and two more Alphas appeared. All three of them were huge, intimidating and dressed head to toe in denim and leather. “You know, I thought I’d really missed out on the sweet little Omega after Carl smashed her over the head. Turns out… she was just a little broken.” The grin on his face was malicious, and you shrank back, fear making you shake uncontrollably. “To think that little thing managed to kill my dear brother.”

It took a moment for his words to process, and you frowned, standing straight. “What?”

The Alpha cocked his head to the side, his smirk widening. “Didn’t they tell you, little Omega?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re a murderer.”

Your mouth went slack, and you ignored Dean’s grip on you. “No. I… I didn’t - I -”

A rumble in Dean’s chest came out as a growl, and he stepped forward, keeping you behind him. “This isn’t your territory,” he warned. “Get in your car, and leave.”

The other two Alphas by the car started to laugh, as their leader simply stood there smiling. “This town is nothing to me. I just want her.” He raised his hand, pointing at you, and you took a step back, shaking your head.

“You ain’t fuckin’ touching her,” Dean spat, his fists clenched at his sides. Blood was still trickling from the wound on his head, and the other Alpha didn’t seem in the least bit intimidated. “She’s not your Omega.”

“She would have been,” the Alpha replied coolly. “I wasn’t careful enough last time. But there’s no one around to stop me from taking what’s mine.”

“She’s  _not_  yours.” The rage in Dean was making him shake, and you backed up even more, wondering how far you could run. “And I’m not gonna let you near her.”

“There’s one of you, and three of us,” one of the other, smaller Alphas squeaked, grinning with crooked teeth. “If Christian says we’re taking her, there isn’t a lot you’re gonna do.” Both of the Alpha acolytes laughed, sounding like hyenas. The main Alpha, Christian, held up a hand to quiet them, before settling his gaze back on Dean.

“Let’s be reasonable about this. I don’t want to kill  _another_  Alpha; I never intended to kill the last one, but I didn’t think the old man would fight back.” Cold fury laced your veins, and you stopped in your slow retreat, turning blazing eyes on the Alpha as he started to talk. His messy blond hair ruffled in the breeze as he shrugged. “Mistakes happen. You don’t want this one, friend. She’s damaged goods.”

Dean narrowed his eyes, not even noticing the way you stood tall, your own fists clenching. You were angry now, and suddenly glad that you’d managed to kill one of the assholes. “She’s  _not_  yours,” Dean repeated, his teeth clenched together.

If a fight started, you knew he’d go down. As strong as he seemed, he was injured, and the odds were against him. Besides… you were done being a goddamn victim. You didn’t spend a year working back to being whole, fixing yourself, so you could be taken and used like some Omega bitch.

And there was no doubt what this Alpha pack had planned for you.

“Dean…” you murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You can’t win this.” You kept your voice low, feeling him go still under your touch.

“What are you doing?” he asked, concern in his green eyes as he looked at you. “Y/N -”

“She’s saving your life,” Christian interrupted, holding out a hand. “She knows there doesn’t need to be any more blood shed.” You turned your eyes to his, and he nodded slowly. “Come to me, little Omega.” Dean’s hand snatched at yours, holding you in place. His gaze begged you not to go, but you simply smiled, pulling free of him, knowing what you were doing.

Marching up to the Alpha that had murdered your parents, you looked him in the eye, despite the height difference. He gestured to the car, but you didn’t move. “I ride shotgun,” you insisted, remaining firm, and Christian acquiesced, clicking his fingers at the other two Alphas, who climbed into the back of the Mustang. “Don’t worry,” you called back, feeling tears prick your eyes as you sank into the passenger seat of the car. Christian smirked beside you, turning the full beams on, and Dean shrank back in the bright light, covering his eyes, and stumbling as he lost his equilibrium.

The Alpha in the driving seat laughed, reaching over to grab your thigh roughly with his meaty hand. “See? A weak Alpha. You’re better off with me, little Omega.” His hand slid further up, and you recoiled at the intrusion. “You’ll be begging for my knot soon enough.” Throwing a glance towards his sniggering accomplices in the back, his smile grew, his lips pulling back to reveal straight white teeth. “And there’ll be Omega pussy to share.”

You felt like you were going to throw up as he threw the vehicle into reverse and pulled away from the kerb, leaving Dean crumpled on the ground in front of his wrecked car.

*****

Dean scrambled for his phone, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. The Mustang’s brake lights were twin red spots in the distance, as the injured Alpha tried to dial his brother’s cell. He kept his eyes focused on them, until they disappeared.

“Hello?” Sam answered, concern in his voice.

“Sam! The fuckin’, ah!” Dean clutched as his head as the pain intensified. “Fuckin’ Alphas -”

“Where are you?” his younger brother demanded.

“5th and Best,” was all the Alpha managed before he fell forward in agony, and he never heard Sam’s reply.

*****

The car had been silent for the entire time Christian had been taking you further and further away from your hometown. Gainesville city limits were at least thirty miles behind, and there hadn’t been another set of headlights on the road for at least that. The luminescent clock on the dash blinked a time at you that was completely wrong and you couldn’t stop thinking about Dean, broken and bleeding on the floor.

Surprisingly, there was no manifestation of sadness, despair or resignation to your fate. All there was, was anger, rage, fury boiling in your veins making your fists clench in your lap.

You wanted to make these men pay for the misery they had caused.

“You like beer, little Omega?” Christian asked, pulling one free from the door pocket. Condensation dripped down the bottle, inches from where he held it in your face. “Loosen you up a bit. Too quiet.”

“Yeah, we prefer our women screaming,” came a snigger from the backseat, and you could see the Alpha bite back a laugh.

“That’s enough, boys. We have our prize.” He smirked, uncapping the beer and taking a long swig. When he offered you the open bottle, you shook your head. With a shrug, he took another mouthful, swallowing it before glancing at you. “You know, I was devastated when I thought you were dead.” Was that supposed to make you feel better? The thought remained locked inside, and you simply blinked in response. “Spent my whole life going through these backwater pack towns - you know, they’re a dying breed?” Christian huffed a laugh, swigging at the beer again. “All the women I wanted, but fuck… none of them worth poppin’ a knot. And then we come here, intending on a little thievin’, drinkin’ - what Alphas do. And then I scent this beautiful, sweet smell, and I saw you. Short summer dress, tight little ass, just  _beggin_ ’ for a knot…” He grunted, closing his eyes for just a second. “Knew you were mine. I was gonna have you.”

There was silence as you swallowed down an outraged scream - you weren’t his. You never would be.

“Then you went and killed Joey, and… shit, girl, Carl lost fingers for bashin’ you in like that. Came back squealin’ that he had to run because of the cops, and that you’d stabbed my brother or some shit…” He tutted, shaking his head. “So, course, when I smelled you a few weeks back, I had to make sure things were done right this time. Had my boys tailing you for days.”

You turned your head slowly, fixing your eyes on him, and in that second, you could have torn his face off with your nails. He looked so fucking pleased with himself, so Alpha proud, puffed up and knot-headed - you’d never hated anyone with the ferocity you hated him.

“Things are gonna be good now,” he continued. “You can give me back a life for the one you took from me.” He finished the beer, throwing the bottle out of the window, before reaching for you and dragging you into his side. There was a lack of belts in the car, which made the movement easier for him, and a plan started to form in your mind. “We’ll get you back to our digs, and I’ll fuck a baby in that tight little cunt o’yours.”

A feral snarl left your lips as you pushed yourself upward, glared at him with your teeth bared. “You’re wrong,” you snapped, feeling like your hackles were rising on end like a pissed-off cat. “You owe me, fucknugget.”

Rage twisted the Alpha’s face, but before he could react, you lunged forward, grabbing the wheel with your fingers and dragging down as hard as you could. The tyres squealed, and the car lurched, weaving from side to side as Christian tried to peel your fingers from the steering wheel.

The second he managed to grab control back, he looked up, unable to stop the course of the car. It careened over the side of the highway, down the steep hill. Its descent was halted by a thick white oak tree, and the Mustang crumpled. The sound of shattering glass made you scream, and pain erupted across your skin, just as you landed heavily on the dash, your body bending with the plastic. Christian was gone from the front seat, and as you hauled yourself up, you let loose another scream, coming face to face with one of the Alphas from the back seat, who was sunken in between the two front seats, his neck and left arm at an unnatural angle, while his lifeless eyes stared at you in shock.

The other Alpha was alive, but covered in blood. Wherever his injuries were, they were severe, and the stench of blood filled your nose. Before you could scream again, the car shuddered, sliding in the loose dirt, moving past the tree, doing a complete one-eighty before slamming into a thicker tree further down. The car hit the tree backwards, and a branch burst through the soft-top of the car, slamming through the last Alpha’s neck, and he made a hoarse gurgling sound, spraying the driver side with blood as you shrieked like a banshee.

He died reaching for you, and it felt like forever before you could move. Sliding over your seat, you winced as you realized you were pretty bruised, but you couldn’t feel anything worse than that. The passenger door was jammed, but the window was broken, and you hoisted yourself out with a pained wail, landing on the muddy ground heavily.

It was starting to rain, and you looked up the hill, lying in the dirt as the weather progressively got worse. You reached into your back pocket, finding your phone, and you unlocked it, smearing blood over the glass. There was no telling if it was yours or theirs, but you couldn’t dwell on that right now. Tapping out a text, you sent it, hoping that Lucas would know what to do.

Thunder cracked across the sky, and a groan made you jerk your head. Christian was moving, alive, and apparently not as injured, or dead, as you hoped.

“Stupid little bitch,” he growled, climbing to his feet and stumbling towards you. “Got a fucking death wish.”

You crawled backwards, abandoning your phone, and the angry Alpha slammed his foot down onto it, looming over you with spittle and blood dribbling down his chin and mixing with the rain water. “They’re coming,” you yelled, raising your voice above the wind on the exposed hillside. “You’re not gonna get away with this. My Alpha is coming for me.”

Christian laughed, insanity tinging the sound of it, and true fear crawled into your belly and made itself at home. When he was done, he looked down at you and grinned, his blood staining his teeth.

“You’re never gonna have an Alpha now,” he stated, leaning down to grab hold of your shirt. His breath stank, and the smell of blood made you want to vomit. “I’m going to make sure of it.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’ve caused the death of two more of his pack. What is Christian going to do to you now?

“Dean, you’re bleeding.”

“I don’t care.”

“Look, Lucas is calling the cops, we’ll -”

“No.”

“Dean!”

The elder Winchester whirled on his brother, the mask of fury on his face made all the more intimidating by the red staining his skin. “You think I’m gonna fuckin’ sit in some ambulance while my Omega is out there?” He was breathing heavily, likely concussed.

Sam raised an hand, intending for it to be a calming gesture, but it failed spectacularly. Dean pushed him, storming towards the car. “Dean!” He caught up easily, grabbing his brother’s arm. “You’re not going -” the elder opened his mouth to argue, “alone,” Sam finished, and Dean relaxed a little.

“Well then,” Dean sighed. “Let’s go.” He gestured to the old Chevy that Lucas drove, and Sam yelled for your younger brother to catch up. “They went out on highway sixteen.” Sam nodded, starting the car as Lucas slid into the back, his face full of concern.

“The police are on their way. You okay, Dean?”

Dean nodded, his expression set in determination. “I’ll be fine once we find your sister,” he replied, stiffly. Sam glanced at him, then pulled away from the sidewalk, leaving a crumpled Baby under the streetlights.

Twenty minutes later, they were passing the Gainesville sign, and Lucas’ phone pinged in his pocket. He dragged it out, his frown illuminated by the bright screen in the darkness of the backseat. “It’s Y/N,” he muttered, meeting Dean’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “It just says “chicago chicane”.”

“That’s up by High Pass Point,” Sam said, glancing over at his brother. “If they went that way -” The sky cracked with thunder and lighting, just as the heavens opened and rain pounded down against the windshield. All three occupants of the car looked worried at the weather, and Sam put his foot down a little harder on the gas, directing the vehicle towards where they thought the Alphas had gone.

The rain grew heavier, and in the distance, the flashes in the sky lit up a plume of smoke mingling with the clouds. Dean pointed it out, and Sam pushed the car a little harder, wary of the heavy rain beginning to flood the road.

“What is that?” Lucas asked, leaning between the two front seats.

“Something on fire,” Dean replied, his eyes focused on the billowing smoke.

As they approached the bend in the road, passing by High Pass rock, a large stone formation that hid the view of the valley behind, the flames of whatever was burning became evident. Sam pulled the car over on the edge of the chicane, and Dean was instantly out of his seat, running over to look down the hill into the rain.

The Mustang was ablaze, impaled on a tree, and the heat was strong enough, it gave the appearance of steam where the rain was trying to put it out. There were signs of a struggle in the mud, and his heart dropped as he saw no sign of you.

Sam pushed past him, getting closer to the burning vehicle, covering his mouth and nose with his jacket. “There’s bodies in there,” he shouted, making Dean’s entire body go cold. Lucas was by his Chevy, phone held to his ear as he called the emergency services. “Dean!”

“She’s not…”

“We don’t know that,” Sam insisted, approaching his brother to grip his arms tightly. Dean was white as a sheet, the blood on his face tinged orange with the rain pouring down on them, and fresh thunder echoed through the valley, lightning making the hills shine for a second.

A gunshot rang out, and all three men turned as a high pitched feminine scream followed it. “Y/N,” Dean breathed, rainwater dripping from the end of his nose. Sam didn’t have a chance to stop him - the elder Winchester pelted off down the hillside, following the sound. His name followed him, yelled by his younger brother.

Dean stumbled down the hill, his booted feet slipping in the mud, and he landed on his ass after only a few meters. With a grunt, he pushed himself on, ignoring the injuries he’d sustained, not caring if anyone followed him. All of his focus was on finding you, making sure you were safe. Maybe he hadn’t made it official, but to him, you were his Omega, and he couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.

A figure up ahead caught his attention, and Dean pushed forward, climbing over a fence that was riddled with thorn bushes, cutting his hands as he scrambled over it. The figure turned, and he realized it wasn’t you - it was Christian, and he was holding a gun in his hand. You were sprawled on the ground behind him, and as the gun flashed, the sound of the shot following a split second later, you screamed once more.

Dean dropped down, the bullet missing him, and the other Alpha’s growl echoed through the heavy rain. There was the sound of a scuffle as Dean got to his feet again, feeling the weight of his wet clothing, and the mud caking most of his body. “Y/N!” he cried out, sprinting towards Christian, who was struggling with you as you tried to pull him down into the mud.

“Get the fuck off!” The Alpha screeched, as you hit him over and over, your fists not having much effect, but doing enough to make his concentration split, and the gun fell from his grip. Dean went for it, only to get a muddy boot to the face and with a sound of pain, he rolled away, sliding a little further down the hill in the mud.

“Dean!” Your worried screech was accompanied by a yelp of surprise as Christian pushed you face down into the mud, using his weight to pin you. You couldn’t breathe or move, and the foul taste of earth filled your mouth as he pressed his knee into your lower back. Trying to scream Dean’s name again only made the situation worse, and your hands reached out blindly, coming into contact with smooth metal.

The weight was lifted from you as Christian was barrelled to the floor, and you gasped for air, rolling onto your back. It was Sam who’d taken the Alpha out, and his fists were doing more damage than yours could ever have done. Dean was at your side in a second, and he helped you up, taking the gun from your hands as you shivered in the cold and wet.

“Sam!” Dean called, and the younger Winchester climbed off of his foe, leaving him bleeding in the dirt. Blue lights flashed through the valley, and you knew that the police had arrived. “It’s over…” Dean murmured, holding you close, kissing your temple. “It’s over…”

“No…” Sam said, shaking his head and looking back up the hill. “He shot…”

“Is anybody down here?” someone shouted, and you turned, peering up through the rain as it lessened. In the murky air, on the muddy ground a few meters up the hillside, a body was crumpled in the dirt and your heart jumped into your throat with enough momentum to make you want to vomit.

Sam’s sigh was barely audible in the thundering in your ears, and you didn’t even register Dean holding you back. “He shot Lucas.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it over? Is Lucas okay?

Everything seemed too loud, too bright. People rushed around you, and it felt like they were moving at a speed much higher than you were capable of. Hands guided you along, a blanket was wrapped around your shoulders, and lights flashed across your vision making you stumble in the mud. Dean sat with you as the paramedic checked you over, but you couldn’t focus…

You couldn’t see anything except the EMTs working on your little brother, lying in the mud, blood staining the white polo shirt he’d put on this afternoon after he’d dropped spaghetti down his green hockey jersey.

He wasn’t breathing.

Wasn’t moving.

You wanted to cry, but nothing came out. You wanted to scream but your throat was closed. You couldn’t even look in the direction of the police car, where Christian sat in handcuffs, his eyes focused on you. It was like someone had a hold of your spine, jerking you like a puppet, and at that moment, you just wanted it to end.

“Y/N?” The EMT was trying to get your attention, but you were staring at the cluster of bodies around your brother, and the sheet they were pulling over him. “Y/N, I need to check these cuts…”

You blinked, looking up at the soft faced young woman who was trying to do her job. But for now, she was a stranger, and you didn’t want to be touched. As if by some miracle, Dean was there, protecting you, and you shrank into his side, the tears finally breaking free. “She’s okay. None of them are deep.”

The woman looked like she wanted to argue, but Dean shook his head, and she relented, taking off her gloves and leaving you to sit with the Alpha in the back of the ambulance. Sam approached, his face riddled with anguish and he met Dean’s gaze. “The two in the back of the car were the other Alphas. Geoff is on his way to take Y/N home.”

“She’s not going to go with him,” Dean replied, his voice steady, and Sam frowned, unsure if the words were a command or an observation of your state. “She’s going to need more than a family member who doesn’t know her, or strange surroundings.” He looked down at where you were tucked under his chin, using one hand to smooth back your hair. “This is so fucked up…”

Sam glanced back, feeling nothing but sorrow as the body of your little brother was loaded into the back of a van marked “PRIVATE”. Lucas wouldn’t see another day. And Sam would never stop seeing him crumble into the dirt with a bullet in his chest. “Either way, Geoff is the pack Alpha. He decides what happens now.”

“Mr Winchester?” A police officer approached, holding a pen and pad in his hands, smiling a little apprehensively. “We need to take a statement.”

“Can I deal with that?” Sam asked. “I saw everything, and they’re… they need a moment.”

The cop nodded, grateful not to have to deal with the on edge Alpha and his frightened Omega. He gestured to the empty squad car across from him, and Sam followed, nodding when Dean threw him a grateful look. They would want statements later, of course, especially from you, but for now, Dean didn’t want to upset you any further.

You’d lost too much.

“Dean,” you whispered, barely audible where you were buried against his wet coat. “Take me home?”

He didn’t wait for you to ask a second time, holding you against him as he stood, guiding you to the Chevy still parked haphazardly on the side of the road. You slid into the passenger seat with little resistance, and Dean paused as an officer walked towards him, apprehension on his face. “She needs to go home. Being here isn’t doing her any good. My brother has our details.”

“She’s your Omega?” The detective peered around Dean’s side to where you were curled up in the car, and the Alpha bristled, protectiveness surging through him.

“Yes,” he growled, trying to quell his aggressive urge. “Like I said, my brother has our information.”

“Okay, sir. Just don’t leave town.”

“Wasn’t planning on it.” His eyes narrowed, and the cop jerked his head a little in acknowledgement before walking away, and Dean waited until he was at a comfortable distance before getting into the driver’s seat of Lucas’ Chevy. Looking over at you, he frowned, reaching out to touch your shoulder, and you raised your head a miniscule amount to look at him. “Let’s get you home, yeah?”

You didn’t respond, and he grimaced, dragging his hand away reluctantly. By the time the darkness was interrupted by street lights, you were out cold, the lamps outside highlighting the tear stains on your cheeks every time they washed over you.

Dean didn’t wake you when he got you back to your house, and managed to carry you inside with less than a whimper. This wasn’t how he’d planned for the evening to end, and it was breaking him apart inside that you’d suffered, that you’d lost yet another person in your life.

Your clothes were soaked, and Dean knew he couldn’t leave you in them, risking the flu or something worse. And he didn’t feel comfortable stripping you without your permission, not after everything you’d gone through. He hesitated at your door, before turning to the bathroom, using his back to open the door. “Y/N, can you wake up for me, sweetheart?”

There was a small moan of protest, and you frowned with shut eyes, turning your face further into his arm. Dean smiled, shaking his head.

“Baby, you gotta wake up, if I don’t get you out of these clothes, you’re gonna catch a cold.” You frowned again, before slowly opening your eyes as Dean started to put you down on the tiled bathroom floor. He unbuttoned your cardigan slowly, as you managed to kick off your ruined shoes. Mud clung to every bit of fabric you had, and you could feel it in your hair, crusting on your skin. “You okay to -” Dean asked, jerking his thumb at the shower.

Your eyes went wide, and you shook your head, not wanting him to leave. “Stay?” you pleaded quietly, reaching for him, and his face softened, his automatic reaction to gather you close against him once more, kissing your head, uncaring of the mud.

For a few seconds you remained like that, both of you filthy, clinging to the other. You didn’t feel like you had more tears left, although you still felt the burgeoning sobs clogging your throat as you thought of your baby brother under a white sheet. Dean squeezed you against him when he felt your shuddering, shushing you softly.

“Come on. Let’s get you clean,” he whispered, cupping your face and wiping tears and mud off of your cheeks.

It wasn’t how you’d ever thought you’d see him naked for the first time, but Dean didn’t show any sign of being affected by your nudity as he turned the shower on, stripping his clothes while the water warmed up. You kicked your clothes to one side, climbing under the hot spray before him, watching him step in, muddy foot prints littering the white mat as the water slowly turned a murky brown.

As soon as Dean was close to you, you pressed against him again, sighing when his arms wrapped around you. His scent comforted you, his touch calmed you, and you buried your face in his bare chest as the water cascaded over you both.

“We should wash up,” he murmured, stroking your hair, and you nodded, staring into space as he pushed you backwards, reaching for the soap. He took his time with you, washing your skin clear of the mud, revealing more bruises and cuts than he would ever want to see on you - one was too much. When he was done there, he lathered up your hair with the fruity shampoo that made up a part of you unique scent, and you tipped your head back obediently as he rinsed it out, making sure to get the few scattered leaves and tiny twigs out.

It was an odd feeling to feel relief at being clean, and you instantly felt guilty. Thoughts of how you’d felt before, about holding back Lucas’ entire life… now you’d managed to get him killed. Remorse and anger made your breathing hitch, and you knew you hadn’t run out of tears at all.

Dean caught you before you fell, lowering you to the floor of the shower as you sobbed against him, screaming your brother’s name over and over. He didn’t speak, didn’t try to stop you… he just let it happen, knowing you needed that cathartic release. It would be the first of many, and you’d need every one.

Exhaustion set in quickly, and you didn’t want to move. The water was still warm, and though your brain helpfully pointed out that Dean needed to shower too, the rest of you ignored the thought. Dean, on the other hand, made the decision for you, shifting you out to sit on the toilet lid with a towel wrapped around your shoulders. You sat there, frozen, almost falling asleep, while Dean hurriedly washed himself clean and returned to you.

He covered himself with another towel, before picking you up in yours, carrying you out of the bathroom into your bedroom. When he placed you on your bed, you instantly rolled into a ball, the towel hanging half open, doing nothing to disguise your modesty. Dean watched you for a moment, pondering what to do, one hand holding up the towel against his own nudity.

It had been difficult not to be aroused by the closeness of you, the way your soft curves melded into his. But something in his head had clicked off, and he’d remained “professional”, as it were. “Y/N…” You stared ahead, not moving. “I’m gonna g-”

“No!” The swiftly cried word that stopped him from speaking was louder than you’d thought it would be, but it got the point across. Dean sighed, lifting up the covers and easing you underneath them, before climbing in on the other side. The towel still covered him, although you were fully naked, but he didn’t react, pulling you into his arms and holding you close. Your eyes drifted closed, and you relaxed into the hold of your Alpha.

You couldn’t stay awake any longer.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up with Dean seems like bliss, until the reality crashes down on you.

Warmth surrounded you, and you turned, snuggling into the pillows and the very warm, very  _ naked _ , very  _ Alpha _ body next to you. Dean mumbled in his sleep, his hips rolling against yours, his thick erection pressing into your belly. You hummed, smiling, still venturing from the safe cocoon of sleep.

_ Christian loomed over you, reaching to grab your hair with one hand. “I’m going to destroy you,” he snarled, and you screamed as he dragged you up by a fistful of your locks, the pain in your scalp unbelieveable as you felt several strands snap under the force. “I’m going to take what’s mine, and leave you in a bloody pile for that pathetic Alpha to find.” _

_ You kicked out, determined to fight back, determined not to be the victim, but Christian was too strong, and too pissed. Your muscles refused to cooperate, even as panic sat in when he pulled a gun from the waistband of his pants. “No, please!” you begged, tears spilling down your cheeks as you struggled. “I’ll do anything.” _

_ “I’ll bet you would,” he snapped, tossing you to the ground, not giving you a second to recover as he threw himself on top of you, the gun inches from your head as he pushed his filthy lips against yours. You bit down on instinct, only to receive a blow to the face which made you see stars. _

_ It happened so quickly - the car was burning where he’d set it alight, and the rain was making everything slippery and muddy. Christian was trying to pry your legs open, but you fought back, seeing headlights coming around the bend of High Pass. _

_ The Alpha managed to get your legs apart, and you reared up, sinking your teeth into his neck, where you hope his artery was. You missed by a mile, but the foul taste of his blood filled your mouth anyway, and he reared back, clutching the wound, abandoning the gun. You twisted, grabbing for it, but the Alpha was too quick to come down, his hand reaching the weapon first, accidentally setting it off. The muzzle grazed your hand, burning the flesh on your palm, and you screamed in pain, bucking Christian off of you. _

_ Everything happened in a blur, distorted by the lightning. You saw Dean, two figures chasing him down the hill. One was your brother, the other was Sam. Christian raised the gun, and the shot rang out. _

_ A white sheet covered Lucas’ body on the floor. _

_ Your brother was dead. _

_ Your brother was dead. _

The realisation set in with panic and you pushed away from Dean’s body scrambling from the bed completely nude, tears hazing your vision. Dean reacted quickly, coming to full wakefulness, lunging for you as you almost collapsed.

“He’s dead,” you sobbed, “he’s dead, and it’s my fault.”

“No, no, no, baby, no, it’s not your fault.” Dean cradled you in his arms, rocking you back and forth as you bawled uncontrollably in his arms. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I shouldn’t have gone with them. I shouldn’t have been so stupid,” you hiccuped.

Dean kissed your head forcefully, stroking over your hair, soothing you. “No, you were right. We didn’t know he had a gun. He was gonna hurt you.”

“He was gonna kill you.” The words were garbled by your tears, but understandable, and you pulled away from Dean, looking up at him with red-rimmed, swollen eyes. “He was gonna kill you, and I had to stop it. But I just made it worse. I chose you and he killed my brother!”

He felt like his heart was going to break as you crumpled into tears again, and he was at a loss of what to do. Holding you close again, he dropped onto his ass, hauling you fully into his lap. By the time your tears had calmed, his legs and butt were numb, and he ached all over. His own injuries from the night before started to make themselves known, and he hissed as his head throbbed.

You sat up, concern on your face. “You’re hurt too,” you whispered, trailing your fingers over the deep cut at his hairline, snatching them back when Dean hissed in pain. “God, I’m so selfish.”

Dean frowned, shaking his head. “You’re not selfish,” he insisted, cupping your chin and forcing you to look into his eyes. “Don’t ever think that.”

“Lucas is dead,” you whimpered, your bottom lip trembling. “He’s gone, Dean. I… I don’t…” Words couldn’t explain your feelings, and before you could stop yourself, you burst into fresh tears. Dean’s face fell, and he moved quickly, scooping you off of the floor and back into the bed, where he could properly comfort you. Before he got back under the covers, he snagged the towel, wrapping it firmly around his waist.

He didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, and being naked probably wasn’t the best idea.

You didn’t speak when he slid back into bed, and he allowed you to curl into his side, one arm draped over his chest, his hand holding yours over his heart.

“This wasn’t your fault,” he assured you, but you didn’t reply.

*****

Dean awoke the second time to the feel of skin gliding against his, and he frowned before opening his eyes to see you pressed up against him, hands making quick work of removing the towel around his waist. For a split second, he considered allowing you to continue, but he knew that it wasn’t right to do so, and his fingers grabbed at yours.

Your eyes were full of hurt when you looked up at him, bottom lip full and shaking with emotion. “I thought…”

He groaned as you ground down against him, stimulating his already achingly hard cock. Most of it was morning instinct, but some of it was the smell of Omega so close, so tantalizing…

“It’s not a good idea, Y/N,” he whispered, dragging you up to kiss your temple. “Stay here, I gotta pee.” Dean slid away from you, already bereft of your touch, and he wrapped the towel tightly around his waist, moving into the bathroom. His phone was still on the side, the battery symbol blinking in red. There was a notification for a text, and Dean picked it up, ignoring his bladder to read the message.

Sam was on his way back, and he was bringing some clothes over for Dean.

Relieving himself quickly, Dean dashed back out of the bathroom, heading down to the lounge, where he found Sam slumped across the couch, his ridiculously long legs hanging off of one end, and his arms draped over the other. He stirred as Dean walked in and grabbed the familiar green bag that had probably seen more miles than it ought to have done.

“She okay?” was Sam’s first question, and Dean nodded grimly.

“Physically… she’s fine. But otherwise… I dunno, man.” He rummaged in the bag, fishing out a pair of jeans and slid them on underneath the towel, careful not to flash his brother. “I don’t know what to do for her.”

“She needs her Alpha,” Sam murmured, pushing himself up into a seated position.

“I’m here,” Dean replied, puffing up his chest. “And I ain’t going anywhere.”

“You’re not her Alpha, Dean. Not properly.” The younger Winchester shook his head, sighing heavily. “She’s not gonna heal without that familial connection. Without… god, she’s lost everyone.”

“So did we,” Dean pointed out. “And we’re here. Y/N is a strong girl -” He paused, frowning at his immediate choice of words. “She’s a strong woman. An even stronger Omega. She’s going to be fine. It’ll just take time.” Sam watched his brother for a moment, not saying anything as Dean slipped a shirt on and padded to the kitchen in bare feet. “First things first, getting her to eat. Then I wanna take her to the hospital and get her checked out.”

Sam stood, following him through the house. “What about you? That gash on your head -”

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine. She’s my priority.” There was a resigned sound from Sam as Dean pulled out some cereal and milk. “I’m not gonna argue with you, Sam. What did the police say?” The change of subject was swift, and the other Alpha took a seat at the kitchen island.

“Nothing much. Christian won’t be seeing the light of day for a while. Geoff is involved now, and he’s taking charge of Lucas’ funeral arrangements. They… they don’t think he felt much. Shot was clean, right through.” Sam shuddered, looking down at his hands, remembering trying to pump life back into the boy’s chest. “He shouldn’t have ended up like that.”

Dean nodded, looking down at the cereal as he poured it into a small bowl. He wasn’t sure how much you would eat, but he knew you had to. You’d been through enough without getting sick too, and Dean was intent on making sure you came out the other side of this. There was no chance in hell he was going anywhere - you’d lost enough.

“I’m gonna get this up to her,” he muttered, pouring generous amounts of milk onto the cereal. “You wanna make some coffee?”

“Sure. I’ll bring it up.”

Unsure of where the trays were even kept, Dean opted for balancing the bowl in one large hand while searching for a spoon. The second he found one, he headed back upstairs, finding you sat up with the covers wrapped around you like a little burrito. For a moment, he paused, desperately wishing the circumstances were different, that this could be one of those sweet polaroid snapshots moments.

But it wasn’t.

“Y/N?” You didn’t move when he spoke, and Dean sighed a little, moving closer. “Y/N, you think you could eat something for me?”

You nodded, although it was clear as day that you were moving on autopilot, barely even blinking. Dean held out the bowl of cereal, and you unfolded your hands from the covers, taking hold of it and staring into the milk like it might hold the answer to everything.

“We’re gonna have to go to the hospital,” he mentioned, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “And the cops are gonna want a statement, but I can hold them off -”

“What’s going to happen to Lucas?” you asked suddenly, not looking up from the cereal. “Who is making sure… who is…” You couldn’t say it. Couldn’t put into words the question of who was dealing with the arrangements for burying your little brother.

_ Dead because of you _ .

“Your uncle,” Dean replied, trying to see any reaction on your face, but you were stone. Everything felt numb. “Y/N -”

“I’ll get dressed,” you cut in. “Just let me eat this.” He watched you for a moment, unsure of what to do. When you picked up the spoon and started to eat, almost mechanically, he relaxed a little, but he knew that the fight was far from over.

*****

Autopilot controlled your movements, and you didn’t speak. Every answer was a grunt, or a nod, and whenever Dean looked at you, your eyes were unfocused and far away. You weren’t in the room in the slightest, and he didn’t want to push you in case you snapped.

Once you were dressed and looking a little more human, he grabbed the keys to the Impala off of the kitchen counter, before heading to the door. He was ahead of you, almost to the kerb when he realized you weren’t behind him. You stood at the front door, one foot hovering over the threshold, terror strewn across your features.

“Y/N?” Your eyes darted up to meet his as he hesitantly approached, standing at the bottom of the porch steps. Dean frowned, ducking his head with concern. “Are you…”

Your bottom lip wobbled, and tears coated your eyes, clinging to your eyelashes defiantly as you stared at him. “This is real isn’t it?”

His heart broke, and he nodded, ascending the steps again. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

You nodded once, looking down as you dropped your foot onto the porch floorboards. “I thought that going outside… that getting better… that it was a good thing. But I just got… I get people hurt. I get people killed.” Dean shook his head, reaching for you, but his touch brought you little comfort. “I’m cursed.”

“You’re not,” he insisted, holding your arms, and you reluctantly looked up at him. “Bad things happen, Y/N. All the time. You’re not cursed.”

“We can’t fix this,” you whispered.

“No. We can’t fix what happened,” Dean admitted. “But we can heal. And move on. Honor those we’ve lost.” He wanted to say he’d done it, that it was possible, but right now, showing you the success of his own grief seemed selfish and unhelpful. “You’re an amazing person, Y/N. You don’t deserve any of this shit. But locking yourself back inside, going back on all the progress you’ve made… would Lucas want that?”

There was a hiccuped sob lodged in your throat, and the tears came thick and fast as you shook your head. Dean pulled you close, tucking you into his side and kissing the top of your head.

“We got this, Y/N. Every step of the way, I’m gonna be here, okay?”

You nodded, curling into him, not wanting to part from him even as he led you to the car. It took all of your strength not to shake violently as Dean started the engine and pulled the Impala away from the curb. Still, you didn’t speak, biting back the tears that you didn’t want to shed.

The town flashed by outside the window as Dean drove, heading down towards the hospital. His phone rang not three minutes into the drive and he answered tersely. The conversation was brief, with Dean telling the person on the other end that he was driving you to the hospital, and that you would likely be there for a while.

His words faded out as you leaned your head against the cool glass, every passing scene beckoning a memory from your childhood. The window fogged with your heavy breaths, and by the time the car started to slow to a stop, the tears you’d been fighting were falling freely.

Dean placed the Impala in park, and looked over at you, his heart breaking all over again at the distraught expression on your face. He opened his mouth, finding himself at a loss of what to say.

“When Lucas was six,” you started, not taking your eyes off the spot you were focused on, “he told me that he wanted to be a doctor. I fell off the jungle gym at the community centre, and shredded my leg on broken glass. When we came to the hospital, Lucas was amazed.” Dean didn’t reply, sensing that you weren’t done. “My dad told him that he could be anything we wanted to be. That I could too. He always encouraged us. And now… now I’m an emotionally wrecked college dropout and Lucas…” You squeezed your eyes shut, shaking your head a little. “If I wasn’t an Omega, Lucas would have been graduating round about now. He would have something, a life, maybe a family…”

“This isn’t your fault,” Dean said, reaching over to place his hand on your knee. Your mind jolted, remembering Christian’s hand in the same spot; but Dean’s hands brought warm and comfort in his touch, unlike the cold revulsion the other Alpha had inspired. “And you can’t help your genetic disposition, Y/N.”

You sniffed, opening your eyes again, finally looking over at him. “But if I -”

“There’s only one person here to blame,” Dean insisted, frowning. “Hell, you’ve had it rough, Y/N, and I know, believe me, I know how much you wanna go back and try to change things. But it’s not possible. Nothing you could have done would have prevented this from happening, because it is not your fault.” He leaned in, his other hand coming up to cup your cheek. “You can’t punish yourself for something you didn’t do.”

What were you supposed to say? That you didn’t believe a word of it, that it  _ was _ your fault, that your mere existence had caused the death of the three people you loved most? He would argue, and you wouldn’t believe him.

“Come on. Doctor Simms is waiting on us.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have to say goodbye but there is a light on the horizon.

Days passed, much of it in a blur. People came by the house, over and over, with flowers and condolences, pies and casseroles that would have gone uneaten if it wasn’t for the Winchesters being there. Dean spent the most time at your house, unwilling to leave you alone.

You’d spent every night with him in your bed, his comforting scent and heat bringing you a few moments of peace. Nothing had happened, not in  _that_  respect, beyond a kiss on the forehead, although you longed to touch him.

But he’d made it clear it was improper.

Maybe he’d changed his mind about you. Maybe now he’d seen the death and destruction that lived around you, he didn’t want to be burdened like that.

Why was he still even there?

Lucas’ funeral was held on a Tuesday, two weeks after his death. Your uncle arranged everything, down to flowers and a wake, which he’d insisted was held at your house, as was pack tradition. Although you hated the thought of so many people being around you, the saving grace was that you could hide easily and wait the guests out.

The service was short, and you declined to say anything. You barely spoke to anyone, moving in an almost robotic way, sticking close to Dean, and Sam by extension. Uncle Geoff took the lead, but his words were flat lies. Lucas deserved better.

Lucas deserved to be alive.

Slipping away from the crowd was relatively easy. Everyone talked about you as if you weren’t really there, but you didn’t have the energy to confront them about it. Your aunt cornered Sam and Dean, asking about you, asking about the house - you wanted to be angry that she spoke about you living on your own in “that big place” all by yourself, but you couldn’t rouse the emotion required. Instead, you backed away, keeping yourself small and unnoticed until you were away from the crowd.

The back of the church was deserted, and you found a spot between two columns, where an ominous painting of the Virgin Mary stared at you; you’d never been much of a Christian. Neither of your parents had gone to church, and if you’d been involved in any of the arrangements, the service wouldn’t have happened here. But your uncle was the Alpha, and held the control.

You didn’t know what the future held for you now, especially if he decided you were not able to take control of your own life. Omegas didn’t have anything in the way of power, and you weren’t mated. Even if Dean’s presence in your life was a factor… you didn’t have his mark.

It didn’t take long for the people to filter out, and you kept yourself hidden, listening as the rain started outside. The doors to the church slammed open, and you heard your name, called by Dean and Sam. They sounded worried, but despite the guilt, you felt no urge to reveal yourself.

In the end, you didn’t need to. Dean was like a bloodhound, and sniffed you out in three minutes flat.

“What are you doing?” he asked gently, sliding to his knees beside you. “We were worried.”

“I wanted to be alone,” you replied, not meeting his eyes. “Everything… everything feels wrong.”

Dean glanced up at Sam as he rounded the corner, giving his brother one of those silent comms expressions. Sam offered a half smile and gestured to the door. “I’ll go bring the car around so you don’t get soaked.” He left, and you remained in your spot, ignoring Dean’s existence. It wasn’t fair to do so - none of this was his fault, it was yours, but you knew he’d leave like everyone else.

Best to rip the bandaid off fast.

“Sweetheart, you can’t stay here all night. I know you don’t like the crowds, but we can go straight back to your house and up to your room. You don’t have to talk to anyone.” Was your anxiety that clear? He’d obviously picked up on your discomfort, although he hadn’t said anything before. “Y/N… talk to me, please?”

“Why are you here?” you asked desperately, looking up at him finally, eyes wet with tears. Fury and sadness clashed in your stomach, making it churn unpleasantly.

Dean drew back, confused at the question. “Huh?”

“Why? Why me? Why are you still trying to help me? I’m a broken Omega with nothing,” you spat, your anger getting the better of every other emotion. “I’m gonna lose the house. My aunt will see to that. My uncle doesn’t care about me. I don’t have anyone, I don’t have anything to offer… so why are you still here?” Your voice had escalated to a point where it was echoing off of the stone walls, while Dean stared at you in shock.

“Why am I still here?” he repeated, and you nodded, clenching your fists in your lap. Dean sighed, moving to sit next to you, hissing as his ass connected with the cold floor. “Because you’re an idiot.”

You blinked, the answer throwing you completely off, and Dean laughed. “What?”

“You’re an idiot,” he said, looking at you sideways. “Have you seen you? I mean, fuck, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since I laid eyes on you.” He chuckled, leaning in a little further. “You’re smart. Kind. Funny. Beautiful.” The expression on his face was so earnest and open, it almost made you believe his words. “You’ve been through a ton of shit that would destroy any other person and you’re still standing. You’re not  _broken_ , Y/N. Battered, bruised, maybe a little cracked - who isn’t?” There was his charming grin again. “But you’re not broken. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met in my life.”

“Dean -”

“I’m not finished,” he admonished, forcing you to snap your mouth shut. “I can’t tell you everything is gonna be alright, but I can goddamn make sure I try my best to see it is. Maybe you haven’t accepted that, but I’m yours, Y/N. It doesn’t matter if we make it official or not, I’m not leaving your side.” His fingers slipped through yours, tugging your hand to his plump lips. “I love you.”

A sob hitched in your throat, as fresh tears tracked down your cheeks. “I don’t know why.”

“Because you took a step outside and kept going,” Dean whispered. “You faced the big wide world and told it that it wasn’t gonna defeat you. So you can’t give up now.”

The Impala’s engine roared outside, over the rain, and you looked up. “I don’t know if I can do any of this anymore, Dean,” you murmured, wiping at your eyes with your free hand. Dean got to his feet, keeping hold of your fingers, and waiting for you to follow his lead.

“Only way you’re gonna find out is if you try,” he said solemnly. “And I promise, I’m gonna be there to catch you if you fall.” He tugged on your hand, and you hesitated for the briefest of seconds before allowing him to pull you to your feet. His arms were instantly around you, and he nuzzled at your cheek, offering the comfort you needed. “I’m never gonna leave you.”

You nodded, closing your eyes and inhaling his scent, clinging to him, before lifting your chin to seek out his lips with your own. The kiss was short and sweet, but it gave you the bolster you needed to step away. “Thank you.”

Dean smiled, gripping your hand in his as he gestured towards the door. “You ready?”

*****

“Give me a call, okay?” Anna pleaded, balancing Tommy on one hip as she stopped on the doorstep. “I worry about you.”

“I know,” you replied, giving her a half-smile. “But I’m in good hands, I promise. And I will call.” Your friend seemed satisfied with that response, and waved at Sam and Dean over your shoulder, before turning and running to the car to avoid getting too wet in the rain. You stayed on the porch, watching as she drove away.

Heavy footfalls behind you made you turn. Geoff was the last to leave, making sure everything was in order and everyone was seen out. His wife, your darling aunt, had taken her leave an hour before - you hadn’t missed her. “You did remarkably well today,” your uncle praised, and the weak smile on your face was only to cover a scowl.

“Thank you.” You swallowed around the lump in your throat, wondering where you were supposed to go from here. “Aunt Celia seemed in a rush to leave.”

Geoff’s expression went tightly stoic, and he hummed, looking anywhere but at you before sighing heavily. “We had a slight disagreement.” You arched an eyebrow, wondering if he’d give you an explanation, which he did. “She wanted me to persuade you to move out of here. To take a smaller property.” The argument died on your tongue when Geoff raised his hand. “I told her no. This is your home, Y/N. After everything you’ve lost, I have no right to take it from you.”

You nodded, looking down at your feet. There was a scuff on your shoe, probably from where they’d been stuffed in your closet, unused. When did you even buy these?

Your uncle cleared his throat. “That being said… you need an Alpha.”

“She has an Alpha,” Dean interrupted, catching Geoff’s attention. His face was dark, features twisted in irritation.

“Not officially,” Geoff warned, looking back to you. “I can’t change the law, Y/N. I’ll give you two some time but… Dean if you’re serious about my niece being your mate -”

“I am. Deadly serious,” he warned, earning himself an amused look from the pack Alpha.

“I’ve no doubt.” The older man tugged on his tie, giving you a sidelong look. “Take your time,98 Y/N. Rest. Grieve. Don’t push yourself. You’re still recovering from a great deal.” His hands landed on your shoulders, forcing you to look up at him. “Your parents would be so very proud of you. I hope you know that.”

The sentiment left a warmth settling in your belly, and you smiled gratefully, moving to hug your uncle before he parted, leaving you in Dean’s embrace. The Alpha looped his arms around your waist, nuzzling into your neck as you both watched your uncle climb into his old Citroen and drive away.

“I’m tired,” you whispered, leaning into Dean’s hold, taking the comfort he offered willingly.

He smiled, turning you in his arms, pressing his lips to yours in a deep kiss, dragging it out and leaving you breathless. “Then let’s go to bed.”

*****

The ceiling wasn’t interesting in the slightest, but you didn’t know what else to do. It was three in the morning, pitch black, and you couldn’t sleep, despite being exhausted. And apparently, Dean couldn’t either.

“You know, we could have a conversation or something,” he suggested, rolling onto his side to look at you. “Watch a movie?” You giggled, mimicking his action so you were on your side facing him, only an inch of space between you. “You’ve been lying there awake for hours.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Dean smirked. “How can I sleep when there’s a beautiful woman next to me?”

A blush covered your cheeks, invisible in the darkness, but you were sure he could feel the heat coming from you. “You’re so deluded,” you teased, and Dean laughed under his breath, pressing in closer to cup your cheek.

“Not in the slightest,” he replied, capturing your lips in a heated kiss. Your body came flush with his, and you moaned into his touch, your hips grinding against his. “You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” Your smile widened, despite your disbelief in his words. “Possibly the most tired at the moment too,” he added, pulling you close until you were laying half on top of him, his heartbeat underneath your ear. “Get some sleep.”

You could feel the pull of unconsciousness now, dragging your body under, despite the protest of arousal that fluttered in your belly. Within moments, you were asleep, taking Dean with you.

Sunshine woke you a few hours later, the storm having passed. You sat up, looking down at the still slumbering Alpha who’d held you all night long, before swinging your legs over the edge of the bed. With a hefty stretch, you got up, leaving the bedroom to relieve yourself before throwing on a dressing gown over the top of your sleep shorts and vest, and heading downstairs.

That was where Dean found you, an hour later, cooking breakfast for both of you. Sam had already swung by on his way to work, and he’d promised to come over for dinner.

“Mornin’,” Dean greeted, dropping a kiss on your cheek as he padded barefoot towards the coffee.

“Good morning,” you replied, smiling at him.

“You look well rested.”

“It’s 11am. I think the seven hours did me good,” you quipped, your smile not fading. “Besides, I feel… good. Is that bad?” Your thoughts flashed to recent events, still fresh and painful, and the smile dimmed a little, before Dean’s fingers grasped your chin and gently forced your eyes to meet his.

“It’s not bad. At all,” he assured you, stealing a quick kiss before shifting his attention to his coffee. “Bacon and eggs? Damn, I’m a lucky guy.” You didn’t reply to that, but remained cheerful as you served up breakfast. “I gotta run into the shop today, if you’re okay with that. I’ve been kinda slacking, and Sam doesn’t know much about it -”

“That’s fine. I have a few errands to run anyway.” You shrugged, biting into your toast. “You’re not the only one who’s been slacking a little.”

Dean smiled, leaning on one elbow as he chewed on a piece of bacon, his eyes glued to you. “I’m gonna cook dinner for you tonight,” he announced, and you raised an eyebrow. “Nothing too fancy - I’m not Gordon Ramsey.” You giggled at that. “But I’d like to do something nice.”

You nodded and swallowed your mouthful. “Well, actually, I was gonna make a suggestion. That you move in.” He blinked, pausing with bacon hanging out of his mouth, and you smiled. “I mean, you’re here all the time anyway. I know you’ve got the house with Sam, but -”

“I’d love to,” Dean interrupted, pulling the bacon from between his teeth. “If you’re sure, I mean, it’s not been that long and -”

“Honestly the thought of spending a night without you kinda makes me feel sick -”

Both of you went quiet, as you realized neither of you were being heard and a shared laughter erupted between you. Dean reached across the table, taking your hand. “I would love to move in with you.”

You squeezed his fingers tightly. “I guess that’s settled then.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next step suddenly turns into a cliff-dive and you take it head-first.

“That’s the last one,” Sam huffed, gingerly placing the box of vinyl records on the floor of the living room. “I didn’t realize he’d hoarded so much stuff.” He wiped his brow, giving you a grin. “You sure about this? I mean, he snores, he doesn’t do his own laundry -”

“I’m sure,” you laughed, holding one hand over your belly. Despite your bravado, watching Dean and Sam move the former’s things into your house had made you feel a little nauseous with nerves. Dean had gone to get lunch while Sam finished off, before the task of finding a home for everything.

And he did have a lot of vinyl records.

Sam smiled, reaching out to rub your shoulder. “You okay? You look a little pale.”

You shrugged, moving towards the kitchen. “Just hungry I think,” you replied, picking up your soda can where you’d left it on the side. “I haven’t been sleeping very well.”

“Dean mentioned that,” he mused, toeing a box out of his way. “I’m not really surprised, if I’m honest. You’ve been through a lot, Y/N.”

“And yet,” you gestured with wide arms, “still standing.”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed, smiling that ridiculously boyish smile of his. “You’re one badass chick. My brother doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into.”

“What’s that?” you asked, playfully, grinning at him. “I’m not that bad, am I?” Sam laughed, shaking his head, pulling you into a hug. You grimaced, clutching your middle at the sudden movement and the younger Winchester picked up on it, stepping back with a frown.

“You okay?”

The nod you gave wasn’t the least bit convincing, and Sam was only just there in time as dizziness overcame you, sending you crashing into his arms. As soon as his skin came into contact with yours, he hissed, like he’d been burned.

“I don’t feel so good,” you murmured, unable to keep your eyes open.

He picked you up easily, like you weighed nothing, carrying you over to the couch. “I’m calling Dean.” There was a miniscule protest from you that died before it began to air itself, and Sam grabbed the phone, dialling Dean’s cell. You didn’t even listen to the conversation, suddenly feeling more exhausted than you had been in what seemed like forever. When Sam picked you up to move you to your room, you were out cold.

It was unclear, when you did open your eyes again, how long you’d been out of it. Pain lanced through your midsection, making you curl in on yourself, barely noticing the warm figure behind you on the bed; the figure that moved when you did.

“Y/N?”

His voice was a siren call of relief that made your insides flutter, and you managed to turn, wincing in pain. “How long was I out?”

“Two hours or so,” Dean replied, pushing hair back from your face. “You’re in heat. Sam felt it as soon as he touched you.” There was an edge of jealousy in his voice and you couldn’t help but smile.

“Jealous?” you asked, raising an eyebrow and he scoffed, looking away. “Awww, Dean. You know your brother is far too handsome for me. I like to roll in the dirt.”

He growled, pulling you closer, placing a fierce kiss on your lips. “I’ll show you rolling in the dirt.”

“Thank god.” You fisted your hands in his shirt and grinned at him lasciviously. “I think I’m done waiting.” Dean blinked, looking a little confused, and you giggled at his slight streak of innocence. “Dean, would you please fuck me?”

“Er…” he flustered, looking down at your lower half grinding into his already hard cock. “I mean, as long as you’re sure…” You rolled your eyes, pushing him onto his back, before straddling his thighs. “Fuck, Y/N -”

“Shut up,” you ordered, unbuttoning his pants and pulling them down with little gentility. The sound he made was half-arousal, half-surprise, and settled into a low groan as your fingers slid around his cock. Licking your lips, you pumped him slowly, almost unable to tear your eyes away from the thick, Alpha dick you’d thus far denied yourself. “Huh.”

Dean looked down at his manhood in your grip, before looking back to you. “What?”

“I guess it’s true what they say about Alphas,” you murmured, smiling coyly. You weren’t about to get embarrassed - a blushing virgin you were not, even if your previous encounters had been unimpressive and dull compared to what you imagined being knotted would be like. And Dean seemed like the type to know what to do with a woman.

He also seemed to draw the conclusion that you were a virgin, which had him panicking in a split second. “Y/N, you don’t have to - I’m not…”

“Dean, shut up,” you barked, lowering yourself down so your lips were hovering over the leaking tip of his thick cock. “Don’t start treating me like glass now. I know what I’m doing.”

His response died as your lips grazed the most sensitive part of his dick, lapping up the clear fluid that coated his skin. Every muscle in his body tensed, and the groan he gave was strained with pleasure. “You weren’t lying.”

You smiled, glancing up at him briefly, watching the way his neck muscles stood out when he ground his teeth together. Then you turned your attention back to what you were doing, focusing everything on Dean to ignore the continuing pain in your belly. There was only one thing that would sate it, but you wanted to work up to that.

Not to mention, you liked making him feel good.

Holding him in one hand, you trailed your tongue from the base up towards his tip, keeping it pointed and tracing the thick vein there. Using your other hand, you cupped his balls, teasing them gently, and Dean grunted, fisting the sheets either side of him. Verbal praise was one thing, but it was the involuntary movements, the little sounds - that was how you knew he loved it, and it made you want more.

Taking a breath, you kissed the crown of his cock, before opening your mouth and sinking down over him, not stopping even when he brushed the back of your throat. Drawing air through your nose, you kept going, feeling your eyes water with the effort, but the rush of breath from his lips was more than enough reward. You repeated the action over and over, until he was panting and moaning deeply, his eyes squeezed shut with the bliss of it.

“Y/N… you gotta stop… I can’t…” His words were jumbled, and you almost didn’t pay them any mind, until you felt the swell of his knot at the base of his length, and you pulled away, not wanting to ruin the occasion so soon. Dean gasped for breath, looking down as you released him, letting his dick bounce against his belly, leaving a splatter of precum on his skin. “Jeez… I have  _never_  had a girl do that.”

“What?” you asked, innocently batting your eyelashes. The action made him snap, and he lunged for you, dragging you down to the bed underneath his larger frame, your giggles drowned out by his snarl. “Dean!”

“You’re so goddamn perfect,” he muttered, kissing wherever he could find skin. He quickly decided you weren’t showing enough; his fingers pulled at your clothing, and you writhed in an effort to assist him. The pants went first, hitting the closet with a thud where your phone was still in your pocket.

Your panties provided little protection against his onslaught. They joined your pants across the room, and Dean wasting little time in dragging you down the bed, using his hands to hoist your thighs off the bed, spreading them in the process. You yelped as he pressed his tongue against your already soaked hole, licking from literally inside you upwards towards your throbbing clit.

The sounds he made were obscene - in between the grunts and almost-snarls, he murmured dirty and complimentary words. Focusing on them was a little difficult, as the pressure of his tongue took the majority of your attention, but you thought you caught “beautiful”, “taste” and a fair few “fucks” before you completely whited out.

There was nothing beyond you. The room and bed faded into obscurity as the spiral in your belly felt like it expanded outwards, like you needed to take a deep breath and couldn’t. In reality, you were panting so hard your cheeks were red, and all of your control snapped.

Dean didn’t stop even when your legs were jerking and body spasming as you rode out your high. Your thighs were soaked, the sheets underneath you in a similar state, and it was only when you cried out loudly, that he pulled away, releasing all contact and sitting back on his haunches with a sinful grin on his wet lips.

“Damn, you taste good,” he praised, the rumble of his voice slightly muffled as he dragged the back of his hand across his mouth.

“You -” Your mouth was bone dry and you frowned, working up some saliva before trying again. “You are a sex God, Dean Winchester.”

He shrugged lazily, before looking down at his unzipped jeans, his cock still free and now leaking sticky trails over his shirt. Lifting it, he tore it over his head, throwing it towards the laundry basket and missing by three feet. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes, before thinking about removing your own shirt.

Nope. Your arms were not listening.

“You okay?” he asked, as you sighed heavily, letting your eyes flutter shut.

“Oh, I’m okay. I’m dead, but I’m okay.” Dean chuckled at that, before you felt him move off the bed. A second of silence was followed by the sound of a metal belt buckle hitting the floor, and you knew he was naked. Opening your eyes seemed like the hardest thing in the world with all those hormones telling you “it’s okay, you can sleep now”, but missing out on seeing Dean properly naked for the first time?

So worth it.

You cracked one eye first, before both snapped wide open at the sight of Dean, silhouetted against the sunlit closed curtains. He was a fucking male model - despite nearing 40, he was still defined, but he was soft in places too. There were no rippling stomach muscles, but you could see the clear cut of the “v” line that lead down to his generously sized cock, nestled among a thatch of dark curls. His nipples were dark against his skin, hardened in the cool bedroom air.

Then your gaze took in his arms, thick and tanned, and you shuddered violently.

“Something you like?” Dean asked, cocky and all-too-aware of his attractiveness. You nodded dumbly, jaw slack as he stalked back towards the bed.

When he promptly tripped over the pants still around his ankles that he’d forgotten about, he landed full on the bed with a heavy “oomph”, and you burst out laughing. He lifted his head, scowling at you before kicking the material off his feet with aggressive movements. It only propelled your laughter, and you rolled away clutching your stomach.

“Okay, it was funny,” he grumbled. You didn’t stop laughing, and Dean shook his head, sighing. “Come here,” he growled, “and let’s see if you’re laughing when my tongue is back inside you, Omega.”

The use of the title made your laughter fade into a moan as Dean’s hand glided up your calf, over your thigh, before pausing and sliding around to the front, stopping between your mound and your navel. “Alpha,” you purred, arching backwards, pressing your ass into his crotch, feeling the hardness of his cock against your ass.

“You’re wearing too many clothes, Omega,” Dean scolded, pulling away. That was all the prompting you needed to practically tear your tee off, taking your bra with it seconds later. He grinned, nodding as you faced him, completely bared, fighting the urge to cover yourself.

You’d showered and slept naked with him before - there was no sane reason to be hiding. Dean frowned, leaning in close, trailing one hand down your shoulder, following the curve of your breast.

“Don’t hide, darlin’,” he assured you, running his thumb over your hard nipple. “You’re beautiful. There ain’t a part of you I don’t love.”

A hesitant smile crossed your face, but you didn’t have time to respond as Dean leaned in closer, capturing you in a deep kiss as he maneuvered the both of you so he was on top, kneeling between your legs. You hummed into his mouth as you felt his cock brush against your core, feeling his heat against yours.

“Alpha,” you repeated, arching your hips in an attempt to catch him and take him in, but he kept just out of reach. It was frustrating as hell, and you groaned in irritation, while he smirked and looked down at you. “Please, Alpha, need it.”

“Need what?” he questioned, a fraction of an inch closer. Your pussy clenched, greedy for his cock, and you gave a frustrated cry.

“Your knot, Alpha! Please, I need your knot!”

Dean groaned, nuzzling against your throat as he sank home, his teeth grazing across the point where your pulse throbbed hard under the skin. You wrapped your legs around him, lifting your ass so he could press deep inside you. An expletive left his lips, fanning hot breath across your neck, and when he pulled back, you could see the color of his eyes had been obliterated by blackness.

He held your gaze as he started to move, and you held his as you met him thrust for thrust. Your teeth clung to your bottom lip as he kept a steady rhythm, in, out, in, out; every bare ridge and vein of his cock against your pussy walls made your stomach drop. He felt so good, so thick and hard, like he was made specifically for you.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and you could feel your own skin growing slick, but you didn’t want him to stop. You wanted more, harder - you wanted bruises that you could wear like trophies. God, you’d never felt like such a hussy, but you couldn’t stop thinking about all the ways Dean could make you see fucking Jesus himself.

“Harder,” you whimpered, arching up into his hold, and Dean smirked, flashing his canines. “So close…”

“Oh I know you are,” he managed, slamming his hips into yours. When he suddenly pulled away, you reached up to try and stop him, only to find yourself rolled onto your front. “Need to knot you, Omega. Make you mine.” You gasped at the feel of his hands under your hips, dragging you into the right position for him to mate you properly. The fleeting thought of birth control was about as helpful as a chocolate fireguard, because the second Dean was pressed against you again, his cock sliding into your soaked channel with ease…

You stopped caring about the consequences. If you were gonna have this with Dean, you were damn well gonna have it all.

“Gonna fill you up,” Dean snarled, using his hands to pull you against him as he fucked into you from behind. You couldn’t hold yourself up on your hands any longer, and you collapsed onto your forearms, arching your back in a natural pose, making yourself receptive to him. “Fuck, you’re so fucking hot around me, baby.”

Words became squeaks as he kept going, and squeaks became screams as he angled his hips and slammed his cock directly into your g-spot. Your pussy clenched and you pushed back onto him, feeling the swell of his knot. The craving for your Alpha’s knot intensified as it locked you together, and you dragged in lungfuls of air as your climax was joined with his, the warmth of his cum pooling in your belly.

“I love you,” he gasped, pulling you up against him, supporting your weight. “Love you so goddamn much.”

You smiled, although your eyes were shut, the exertion catching up with you. The heat was sated for now, and the draw of sleep was too much to ignore. Thankfully, Dean was in a similar situation, and he carefully eased you both down onto the bed, on your sides, while he peppered your neck with soft kisses.

“Omega,” he murmured, biting down gently on your throat, breaking the skin enough to leave his mark.

Your reply was barely a whisper on your lips as you gave into the drowsiness, warm and safe in the arms of your Alpha.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone has a question they need answered.

_Two months later…_

“He got life without parole.”

Your uncle’s voice was heavy with relief, and you let your eyes fall shut for a moment. You knew, logically, you should be glad that the man who was responsible for the death of your entire family was locked away, but it wasn’t going to bring them back.

A warm hand on your lower back made you look up, your Alpha’s reassuring smile greeting you. “So it’s over?” you clarified.

“It’s over,” Geoff confirmed. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you replied, taking Dean’s hand. “Dean’s here.”

“Good. Will we be seeing you at the meeting tonight?”

“Yeah, we’ll be there.” The conversation ended and you hung up, placing the phone back in its cradle and letting Dean pull you into a hug. He kissed the top of your head, and you remained enveloped in his arms for a few moments, enjoying the warmth of his body and the comfort he always provided. “You working today?”

“Nope,” he sighed, pulling back to look down at you. “I thought we could go over a few things for the wedding?” You smiled brightly, nodding. “We’ve only got like… six weeks left,” he chuckled. He’d proposed the week after you’d made things official in the primal sense, and you’d gladly accepted. Part of you was terrified at the notion of actually getting married, but Dean was very relaxed about the whole thing, and his attitude had spread to you.

Picking up the small folder you’d organized, you flipped it open to the middle page. “Are we having centerpieces?”

“It depends,” Dean said, hopping up onto a kitchen stool. “Are they edible?”

“You’ve asked that about everything,” you pointed out, rolling your eyes. “Including my underwear.” His laughter was a low rumble that made you grin despite yourself. “I’m not a massive fan of huge flowers. Do we have to have flowers?”

“Whatever you want, baby.” He reached over the kitchen island, taking your hand. “If you wanna elope to Vegas…” You were started to be swayed by that idea. The pack expected a proper wedding, but without your family there, it seemed pointless. Yeah, your uncle would be sad he missed it, but there was no law dictating that you  _had_  to have the big ceremony with everyone.

A party when you got back would suffice.

“We haven’t put any deposits down on anything,” you started, staring at the folder full of ideas that Pinterest had thrown at you. “And I already have my dress. You’ve got a nice suit…” Dean’s eyebrows shot up. “So, we book the flights and go. Or we could drive?”

Dean sat straight, tilting his head to the side, unsure if you were joking or not. “Are you… are you serious?” You nodded, and he stood, walking around to stand at your side, prompting you to turn and look up at him. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to -”

“All we need is you and me, right?” you interrupted. “The big ceremony, the pomp and everything… we don’t need that. I just wanna marry you, and start our life. I don’t wanna stand in front of everyone and realize… that most of my family is gone and they’ll never be here again.” The Alpha was silent for a moment, before he cupped your cheeks and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. Tears were on the verge of spilling but you held it together enough to smile at him. “Is that selfish?” you asked, and he scoffed.

“Sweetheart, nothing you’ve ever done is selfish. I don’t care about big parties or anything like that; as long as you’re Mrs. Winchester at the end of the day, I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks.” He paused, stroking his thumbs over your cheeks. “But we are driving. Don’t do planes.”

You giggled, leaning into his chest, sighing at the sound of his heartbeat. “When do we go?”

“I’m gonna tell Sam. And you should tell Anna. They’ll be upset otherwise. But we can leave tonight. I just need to speak to Bobby and get the shop covered for a few days.”

“A few days?” you queried. “How long is the drive?”

“Long enough,” Dean retorted, grabbing the phone off of the wall. “And don’t think I’m not splashing out on a hotel suite with a jacuzzi for at least one night.”

*****

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The smartly dressed officiator smiled, bowing his head and Dean almost instantly pulled you close, bestowing a hard kiss on your lips as you tried not to laugh. Music started, indicating the end of the short ceremony, and you quite happily walked out of the chapel as Mrs. Winchester, hand in hand with your new husband.

The Las Vegas sky was dark but lit up with the glare of the Strip, and Dean span you around into his arms, kissing you again. “I’m never gonna get sick of kissing you,” he grinned, and you beamed back. “Mrs. Winchester.”

“Nor I you, Mr. Winchester,” you giggled, using his shoulder to pull yourself upright. “Can we go and see the fountains now?”

“For my darling wife, anything,” Dean bowed, and you laughed again, before grabbing his hand and pulling him down the street to the crowds of the Las Vegas main strip. The shops were loud and everything was bustling with excitement, although you clung close to Dean as you passed through the array of shoppers, party goers and street performers.

Months ago, you wouldn’t have even thought about this place. About being somewhere so packed with people. You wouldn’t have left the house. Now, with Dean by your side, you felt like you could face anything. He’d helped you through so much, been there every step of the way, a rock in the middle of a churning ocean. There was no denying that he had saved you.

Even if you couldn’t save anyone else.

“Look at that,” you gasped, pointing at a display of street dancers, performing intricate and terrifying moves. “They’re fantastic.”

“Let’s stop and watch,” Dean murmured in your ear, looping his arms around your waist. “The fountains are on all night.”

Las Vegas was a wonderland, and it was another full hour of watching various events and diving into shops before you and your new husband reached the Bellagio fountains. No one blinked an eyelid at either of you, despite the flowing white dress and his smart suit - it wasn’t unusual to see newlyweds in Vegas, after all.

The fountains were spectacular, and you watched them with Dean pressed behind you, although the intimate space ended with him hard and grinding into you. A giggle left your mouth when he not-so-subtly squeezed your breast through your dress. “Dean…” you chided, and he growled against your neck as the last fountain went off and everyone clapped.

“I can’t help myself,” he muttered. “You’re so gorgeous.”

“Then let’s go back to the hotel and order room service,” you suggested, and he grinned wolfishly. “I take it you like that idea.” Dean nodded, and you laughed loudly when he started to lift you like a caveman carrying his woman off. “Dean!” you shrieked, and he put you down, tucking you into his side. “You’re awful.”

“You love it,” he retorted.

The suite he’d booked for you was at the Mirage, and it was a beautiful view of the city from thirty floors up. Room service was quick to arrive, but the food went ignored as you and Dean lounged on the bed, sharing lazy kisses and touches, neither of you rushing. It was quiet, calm, and everything you’d wished for.

“I love you,” Dean hushed into your skin, lifting bright eyes to look at you. “More than you know.”

“I love you too,” you whispered, clutching him tightly as his fingers tugged your dress up, revealing the lingerie you’d specifically bought for the occasion. “You like?”

“Oh, I like,” he rumbled, pushing you onto your back. The dress barely hindered him as he unzipped his pants, relieving the pressure on his cock. His fingers trailed along your thigh, finding you already wet. “You been thinking about this?”

You raised an eyebrow, trying to appear seductive as he slid one digits between your folds, teasing out your arousal, and your seduction fell flat on its face with the gasp you gave. “We’ve been making out for an hour. I’m surprised I didn’t combust.” Dean laughed under his breath, adding a second finger and scissoring them inside you, opening you up. Not that you needed it much - since that first night, it had been hard for either of you to keep your hands to yourself.

A whimper left you as Dean fingerfucked you slowly, biting into his bottom lip while watching the expression of bliss on your face. He knew every spot, every way to make your toes curl, and applied his knowledge with deadly accuracy. Within moments, you were crying out his name, begging for his knot.

And Dean was not hesitant to provide.

Hoisting your dress up, he removed your underwear entirely, throwing it across the room. He lined himself up, sinking home in one strong thrust, and you clung to him, stealing a kiss as he let you adjust to his cock. “Knot me, Alpha,” you whined, baring your throat to him, and Dean groaned, rolling his hips, finding his pace. You lifted your legs, wrapping them around his back, holding him in place.

The lingering pleasure of your orgasm quickly built again under his powerful thrusts, and you shuddered around him, digging your nails into the fabric of his shirt.

“You’re wearing too much,” he growled, pulling back and away, breaking through the vice of your legs easily. “Strip.” The command was almost a snarl, and you were more than happy to oblige, fumbling with your dress clumsily, watching Dean strip his own clothes off. He was impatient and didn’t wait for you to be done, almost tearing the fabric in his urgency to have you bare.

“Dean!” you scolded playfully, shimmying away from his hold. He gave chase, getting his hands around your waist and landing the both of you on the bed. You shrieked with laughter, only to have to sound swallowed down by his greedy mouth again. “Are you going to fuck me?” you asked, clasping his face between your hands, and his eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Gonna do more than that,” he warned, grinding his lower half into you, the tip of his cock grazing your folds. “Want me to breed you, Omega?” The way he said it, the tone, the timbre, was enough to make you keen wantonly, and Dean smirked, all to aware of his effect on you. “Spread your legs for me, darlin’. Show me that pretty little Omega pussy.”

You obeyed instantly, and Dean’s eyes darkened with lust, his fingers tracing over the slick of your cunt, the slight touch making you arch. “Alpha, please…”

He didn’t respond, watching you as he lined himself up and sank home. For a moment, he held himself still, kissing a path over your breasts, taking a few seconds to tease each nipple with his tongue. When he finally started to move, you cried out, scraping at his shoulders with your nails. Every stroke brought a new word of praise from his lips, but you could barely focus for the sheer pleasure coursing through you.

“On your belly,” he growled, pulling out briefly onto to push you into complying, before positioning himself behind you and resuming his movements. The changed angle made his cock hit your g-spot on every pass, and you clenched tightly, trying to stave off your orgasm. “You wanna cum, Y/N?” Dean asked, and you nodded, gasping for breath.

“Wanna come with you,” you replied, whimpering when he cupped one breast and kneaded it between his thick fingers. “Please, Alpha, wanna feel it.”

His answering snarl was almost animal-like, and his thrusts became harder, more urgent. The knot of his Alpha cock swelled until he had to force himself all the way into you, and you came with a scream. The sound of your climax drowned out his, and when you managed to claw your way back from the precipice, Dean was slumped against you, his head buried in your shoulder with his mouth securely fastened over the mark on your neck.

In the distance, the sound of the city could be heard, just audible above the sounds of your combined breathing. Dean’s arms encircled you, holding you close against him.

“Did you say something about a jacuzzi?” you murmured, not even bothering to open your eyes. “Because that sounds really good.”

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m a little tied up right now,” he grunted, his fingers tracing patterns over your belly. “Give me a few.”

*****

There was no great drama when you got home from Vegas, announcing that you and Dean had indeed eloped. Most offered congratulations, and your uncle insisted on a party to celebrate, which you were expecting anyway. It was held two weeks after you returned, and Dean had a surprise for you.

“Go ahead, open it.” The manilla envelope was thick and you frowned as you tored at the sealed end, tipping the papers out into your hand. “Way I figure it, you’ve been on hiatus. And now, if you want -” He left the sentence open ended.

The words on the sheets of paper almost blurred together with your tears and you looked up at Dean with a wobbling bottom lip. “You did this for me?”

“Your uncle helped,” Dean replied, gesturing to Geoff, who beamed proudly. “Your grades still stand from before the accident. They were really understanding, and they said you can just pick up where you left off.”

“But it’s been over two years,” you stuttered. “I don’t…”

Dean’s hand landed on your shoulder, providing you with reassurance and comfort as you stared at the college paperwork. Full scholarship. Fees all paid. “They said you could even change your courses, if you want,” Geoff interjected, helpfully. “There’s no rush. You’ve got the whole summer to decide.”

A choke sob escaped you and you pulled your Alpha into a hug, feeling him laugh against you. “I love you, so much,” you whispered. “This is amazing.” Dean held you close, kissing your temple.

“You’re amazing. And you deserve it.” There was an argument on the tip of your tongue, but you swallowed it down. “Now, let’s enjoy our party, and we can talk about all this later.” His fingers spread through yours, and you smiled, wiping away the happy tears.

“I’m really glad I get to experience this big wide world with you, Dean Winchester.” Your voice was low, and Dean squeezed your hand, giving you one of those full smiles, the ones that lit up his eyes and made your heart soar. He leaned in, kissing you full on the lips, prompting a chorus of friendly jeers from the onlookers.

The party carried on until the early hours, and when everyone had gone, you were asleep on the couch. Dean picked you up, carrying you through the house to your bedroom, settling you down before making sure everything was locked up. Sam had managed to stumble home, and the house was a mess, but that was a worry for tomorrow. All Dean cared about, as he slid into bed, was you.

*****

_Seven months later_

“This is impossible!” you growled, throwing the book down. “Ugh, I can’t do this.”

Dean sighed, looking up from his accounts, before picking up his beer and swigging it. “You need to take a break, sweetheart. You’ve been at that for hours.” You scowled, sitting back in your chair. “You don’t have to do it all at once.”

It had been a good few months. Between regularly scheduled appointments with Doctor Lawrence to make sure you didn’t relapse and to process everything that had happened, and the bliss of newlywed life, you’d felt more content than you had in years, despite the traumas you’d lived through. You’d taken a part time job, and rebuilt the life you’d once had high hopes for. The garage was doing great, and Dean had taken Bobby’s offer to co-own until he retired, when the garage would be entirely Dean’s.

You could only attribute your renewed health to the bond you now shared with him, proving Lucas’ believe in the myth, which made you miss him more. You wished so much he could be there to share in your happiness.

Flinging your pencil across the table, your scowl melted as you looked up at him, knowing that you’d held the truth back long enough. You didn’t want to go to your first appointment without your Alpha by your side. “It’s not the college work,” you started. “My… my heat hasn’t come.”

“Well, the doctor did say that you might not be regular.”

“My period didn’t come either,” you added, and Dean’s head snapped up. “I might have to put college on another hiatus.” His eyes were unfocused as he stared at you, and the grin that spread over your face was wobbly. “I’ve got my first appointment with the Ob-Gyn next Wednesday.”

The Alpha blinked, almost like he was waking up, and you couldn’t help but giggle. “Are you… you’re…” He swallowed, shaking his head as if coming out of a stupor. “You’re pregnant?” The realization was a whisper on his lips, and you nodded, turning to face him.

“You’re gonna be a daddy.”


	14. Epilogue

He was perfect from tip to toe. Soft brown hair covered his crown in a fuzz, and his tiny little nose scrunched up as he slept. Little fists clenched where he held his arms above his head, and you thought that maybe you’d never stop staring at him.

“Hey.” Dean’s voice didn’t even distract you from the crib, where you stood looking down on your four day old son, wrapped in baby blue blankets, sound asleep. “You should get some rest,” your Alpha chided, standing behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist.

“Not tired.”

He chuckled. “Liar. You haven’t slept properly for two weeks. Lucas needs his mama healthy.”

You sighed, leaning back into him. “He’s so beautiful, Dean. How did we make that?” His answering shrug made you roll your eyes, and you rested your head against his shoulder, unable to take your eyes off of your sleeping child. “I wanna give him the world.”

“Me too,” Dean murmured, pressing his lips to your neck. “But how about we give him a couple of well rested parents first, huh?”

A smile tugged at your lips as the Alpha finally distracted your attention away. “That’s probably a good idea,” you surmised, stealing one last look at the sleeping babe. “I just…”

“He’s fine. He’s literally across the room.” Dean pulled you away from the crib, ushering you into the bed you’d left four time already. “At this rate, he’ll still be in here when he’s eighteen.”

“Can we not joke about that?” you grumbled, sliding under the covers and snuggling into Dean’s side the second he was under them with you. “I never want him to grow up.”

Dean’s laughter was a rumble against your ear as you laid your head on his chest. “One day at a time, sweetheart.”

 


End file.
